St. Joseph’s Church on Garden Road recently organised a fire drill aimed at improving fire safety awareness and emergency response skills among parish council leaders and community members. The drill took place at 7:00pm on March 29 and was conducted on the church premises with the support of local firefighters.
The training emphasised practical knowledge designed to address issues identified after the Taipo Fire incident last November. Participants received guidance on fire exit areas and witnessed a demonstration on how to operate a fire extinguisher. Firefighters introduced various fire exit routes and designated safe evacuation areas within the church, explaining the best paths for exiting safely in case of an emergency.
Attendees learned about different types of fire extinguishers, including CO2 and liquid or water, and when to use each type effectively. The firefighters taught the PASS method for operating extinguishers, which stands for “Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the lever, and Sweep side to side”. Participants had the opportunity to practice using the extinguishers under the supervision of firefighters to ensure they were using the correct techniques.
Father Joseph Tan, parish priest, expressed his gratitude to the firefighters for their expert instruction. He mentioned that the parish plans to hold regular fire safety training and drills in the future to improve daily fire hazard inspections and ensure a safe environment for all parishioners and visitors.
Arlene Phoda
