FOCUS
Current affairs Unique context
Each informal settlement is unique – a slum in Kenya that has been around for decades faces different challenges from an emerging informal settlement in India being built by people displaced by fl ooding. It is critical that underlying socio cultural, economic and political context is well understood from the outset of any work, in order to develop appropriate, effective and resource effi cient fi re safety strategies. Investments in fire risk reduction should take advantage of existing resources and the capacities of the communities themselves. Our framework (see below) places the
understanding of local context at its centre, emphasising its relevance to every area of fi re risk reduction. This keeps the framework relevant to different informal settlements around the world.
Fire safety framework
In informal settlements, factors such as the high density of buildings and the use of combustible construction materials can cause fi re spread to be rapid. Prompt evacuation and fi refi ghting intervention are therefore critical to protect life, minimise property damage and limit the impacts on livelihoods.
Communities that are resilient to fire can
withstand, respond to and recover from severe fi re incidents, thereby contributing to residents’ broader wellbeing and long term development. This requires action throughout the entirety of the disaster management cycle, which has four key stages: • mitigation – measures to prevent or reduce the likelihood, severity and consequences of fi re
• preparedness – strategies, procedures, resources and training that infl uence and inform stakeholders’ fi re response and recovery
• •
response – actions taken during a fi re incident to save lives, protect property and critical infrastructure
recovery – actions taken in the aftermath of a fi re incident, both immediately to assist with healthcare and welfare, and longer term to return communities to normal life and bring about improvements in fi re safety
The framework is organised around these four stages of the disaster cycle, any of which may be used as a starting point for considering vulnerability or resilience. It identifi es 12 key aspects of fi re safety – three aspects for each stage of the disaster cycle. Their importance
44 MARCH 2019
www.frmjournal.com
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