A Three Day Capsule Proposal For Fire Safety, Security and Disaster Management Audit & Training – Specially designed by Ex-Top Experts and Trainers of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Institute of Disaster Management(NIDM) – All this at a very NOMINAL COST to your organization as this is being done by a PSU financial institution’s promoted CAG audited Co. and is a step towards Nation Building in making your premises disaster resilient and also ensure COMPLIANCE of mandatory Govt. norms.
Greetings from CSG
We wish to appraise your organization regarding a programme conceived and being implemented across the country, perhaps the biggest programme, to inculcate the feeling of Safety and Security amongst the inhabitants of various premises across the country. India, as you may be aware, is deficient in fire safety measures (97% source NDMA), resulting in a gross loss per annum to the extent of nearly 1,00,000 Crores Rupees (App. 97%, source www.ndma.gov.in). To say it simply, approximately 1% of our GDP is wasted in fire and when viewed along with the Disaster Management losses, it is a whopping 3.5% of our GDP which translate into approximately 3,50,000 Crores of Rupees. By analyzing these facts, CSG has taken an effort to increase the awareness and take corrective steps that aim at reducing the losses of the economy as a whole.
Your organization’s implementation of this programme would also enable it in COMPLIANCE of Govt. of India’s directions as per Provisions of National Building Code, Disaster Management Act 2005 and its related provisions.
This communication aims to draw your attention to the burning topic and also request you to kindly direct your organization’s concerned officials for a meeting to appraise you and your esteemed organization regarding “Mission Preventive Safety & Security” being implemented by CSG. Our team led by Project Director, Mr. JP Singh & Exec. Director, Brig. (Dr.) B.K. Khanna SM, VSM (Retd.) and former Sr. Specialist (Policy and Plans), NDMA, Govt. of India can appraise you of the impending challenges and its mitigants. These initiatives would also enable your organization/office to COMPLY with statutory measures as specified by Govt. of India for every organization/office working in India.
MISSION PREVENTIVE SAFETY & SECURITY (a program of audit & training devised by and under the guidance of top experts ex-Indian Armed Forces and National Disaster Management Authority) is being conducted by CSG (CSG is promoted by Public Sector Banks along with other important financial organization of the country).
Background:
Developing countries, like India suffer the greatest cost when a disaster strikes – more than 95% of all deaths caused by disasters/ accidents occur in developing countries and losses due to natural disasters are 20 times greater. In other words, a disaster can be defined as any tragic event involving at least one victim of circumstance, such as accident, fire, terrorist attack or explosion. Disasters threaten sustainable economic development worldwide. Although natural disasters like earthquakes, cyclones, floods, etc. because more havoc, their occurrence has low probability. Whereas fires, accidents, building collapse, etc. cause lesser number of casualties but their occurrence is more frequent. It is the ignorance of community and the establishment, neglect of assessing the risks and not taking preventive and mitigation measures against perceived natural and human induced disasters that developing countries are suffering more. We cannot prevent disasters from happening, but can certainly take mitigation and capacity development measures, like risk assessment to minimize loss of lives, damage to infrastructure and environmental degradation. It is time for the management of public sector undertakings, banks and others to seriously take note of the existing hazards they are living in, make contingency, response and business continuity plan and get them tested through third party audit by experts and through regular conduct of mock exercises!!
Need for Disaster Management Plans and DM Audit. Due to its geo-physical and geo-climatic conditions, India is prone to almost all types of hazards, be it natural and human induced. 58.6% of land mass in India comes under Zone III, IV and V for seismicity, i.e., high risk probability, 12% is prone to floods, out of 7156 km of coast line, 5700 km is prone to Cyclones and Tsunami, 8% of hills in North, NW and West Coast are vulnerable to landslides. India is also prone to various types of human induced disasters, like fires, terrorist related disasters, building collapse, accidents, etc. The loss in terms of private, community and public assets has been astronomical. This surmises that the buildings, infrastructures and permanent structures should be as per national building code, approved by Union Urban Development Ministry.
It is said that earthquakes do not kill people. It is badly designed buildings which take the toll. The National Building Code of India lays down a set of minimum provisions to which the buildings should be designed to protect the safety of the public. Part IV of the code relates specifically to fire protection and Clause 9 to ‘Requirements of Educational buildings’ provides guidelines on fire safe building designs. Some of the States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, etc. have passed Fire Service Acts, making these guidelines mandatory provisions. The fire license is issued based on the adherence to National Building Code provisions, with respect to fire safety. In case of industrial buildings the requirements of factories rules, Oil Industry Safety Directorate guidelines have also to be complied with additionally wherever applicable.
Keeping in view the above hazards and various socio economic, environment and awareness vulnerabilities of various States/UTs and consequent risk assessment analysis, Govt. of India has given certain directions/guidelines for taking preventive and mitigation measures. As per Sections 37 and 40 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, it is mandatory for all organizations, offices, commercial and residential buildings to have a Contingency & Response Plan. As per Para 9.1.1 of Chapter 9 of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Guidelines on Earthquake, Disaster and Response Plan is required to be prepared for all school buildings /malls/entertainment cine-plexes /office /commercial complexes. The main purpose is to prevent loss of avoidable casualties during disasters. We cannot make a disaster to happen to check our Plans and status of preparedness. Third Party Audit and conduct of Mock Exercises are some of the time tested tools world-over to test the Plans for their workability during actual disasters.
Aim of Disaster Management, Fire Safety and Security Audit:
Digital security is quite well managed and highly centralized whereas physical security is managed in a different manner and is also outsourced at times. Assessment of the security needs of the premises offering organization services has to be based on proper threat assessment and environmental factors which many of the services providers overlook. This can harm the continuity of the organization and services, and huge consequential losses can be there on account of this lackadaisical approach & invite strict penalties and others stern measures from the Govt. on account of noncompliance of the Govt. directions.
Do you know in which natural & human induced hazards your organization and branches are living in? Are the building’s inmates safe from perceived disasters? Has risk assessment been done regarding their safety during working? Has each organization formulated a mandatory Contingency, Response & Business Continuity Plan? Do you have trained immediate response teams with equipment within your organization to control and manage disasters? Are the gaps/weaknesses known to you? If the answer to any or all the queries is NO, then this program is catered to your needs.
The aim of conducting Disaster Management, Fire Safety and Security Audit is to find the status of preparedness & find gaps so that preventive and mitigation measures can be undertaken in time.
Why Audit?
Benefits of Audits
Key source of information for safety & security review
Demonstrates senior management commitment and communication
Improves personnel awareness, participation and motivation
Provides opportunities for continuous improvement
Improves employee/customer confidence and satisfaction
Improves operational performance
Audit results are a major input into the security review process. The Audit Measures must be reviewed for strengths and weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. This information will be reviewed and the management would take appropriate action.
Time and training allowed for conducting audits is one of the ways management shows its commitment.
If the purpose of the audit is properly communicated and employees realize that the audit is not an evaluation of personnel performance, they are more likely to discuss weak areas and opportunities for improvement.
This should then lead to improvement in the operational performance, and a reduction in the number and nature of security incidents, and therefore improve customer satisfaction.
Scope
The scope of Disaster Management, Fire Safety and Security Audit will cover the following:
Perusal of the Contingency & Response Plan of the Organization. A template will be given, if it is not existing.
Check response and mitigation plans.
Identifying the people who are risk for each hazard.
In the response plan, assessment of response plan, composition of various teams, like early warning, search and rescue, communication and first aid will be checked and randomly roles & responsibilities of some team members will be checked. Status of resource inventory and additional requirements will also be determined.
In the mitigation plan, check lists for fire safety, data safety, building safety, safety of laboratories, etc. will be checked. The resource map, hazard map and safety route map and meeting place map will also be perused.
Evacuation Plan will be tested through mock exercise by the experts, if desired by the Management.
Fire and safety detection facilities will be checked and fire safety equipment tested for its functionality.
Training of Response Teams and general awareness program for all students/teachers carried out by the organization will be seen.
Physical inspection of the organization from DM, safety and security point of view will be carried out, existing gadgets tested and new ones suggested reinforcing security.
Demonstration and suggestion of relevant most modern safety and disaster management equipment to bring down the costs, ensure optimum ultimate utilization in the event of disaster and steps to reduce the manmade disasters to least possible and to reduce the effect of natural disasters by adopting the relevant methods and equipment to make the organization Disaster Resilient.
Methodology for conduct of the DM, Fire Safety and Security Audit in a capsule form, which will spill over three days is given in the Appendix attached:
Day 1 – Pre Audit Data Collection (DM Plan/ registers & manuals, Sensitization workshop in schools. Site Visit to study Structural/ Non-Structural Hazards with existing facilities
– 8 hrs.
Day 2 – Carry out DM, Fire and Security Audit. Testing the Equipment/ system. Preparation of the Report & discussion of main points of Audit Report with Unit Head/ Principal – 8 hrs.
Day 3 – Capacity development through training will include audio visuals on disasters, interactive talk, Internal Mock Exercise on Disaster Risk Reduction & Physical Evacuation Drill 5 – hrs.
In the end, it is advisable to act now and find out the status of preparedness to perceived disasters, rather than repent later when the water had flown over the head, after the disaster has struck. Disasters can be termed like God, which we know is existing but is invisible. It is hoped the Head of the Organization will take note of the seriousness of the matter and initiate action of organizing Fire Safety, Security and DM Audit. A stich in time would be more apt than ignoring this communication as the consequences are very difficult to face.
CSG had taken the lead by bringing to the Organization a programme with the guidance of former top experts of National Disaster Management Authority & National Institute of Disaster Management the field of Fire Safety, Security & Disaster Management.
National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)
The National Institute of Disaster Management constituted under the Disaster Management Act 2005 has been entrusted with the nodal National Responsibility for Human Resource Development, Capacity Building, Training, Research, Documentation and Policy Advocacy in the field of Disaster Management.
This effort of yours would be in the interest of your organization and in the interest of our Nation in saving the Fire and Disaster related losses and impart the necessary knowledge to members of your organization and assisting you in conducting the mandatory COMPLIANCE measures of Disaster Management, Fire Safety & Security in addition of conducting Mock training exercises.