Fire: Expert Charges Lagos on Preparedness Beyond Compliance

 Omolabake Fasogbon

Amid recurring fire outbreaks in Lagos, fire safety expert, Anthonia Beri has stressed the need to match regulatory compliance with adequate preparedness to prevent future disasters in the state.

Her insights will anchor discussions at the second Lagos International Fire Safety Conference (LIFSC 2.0), kicking off on August 12, themed “Leveraging Technology and Community Engagement to Prevent Fires”.

Beri, an engineer and CEO of Safety Consultants and Solutions Providers Limited, will deliver a presentation titled, “Beyond the Checklist: What Real Safety Looks Like.”

She argued that many buildings may possess the required certifications and still be ill-prepared to handle fire emergencies.

According to her, compliance should not be mistaken for preparedness, noting that the ability to respond effectively during emergencies depends largely on factors such as occupant awareness, clearly defined evacuation routes and regular emergency drills rather than documents displayed on walls.

She noted that poor maintenance of safety systems, inadequate testing, lack of regular drills and weak leadership commitment to safety are among the factors responsible for many fire safety failures.

“Every building owner should be able to answer three critical questions before an emergency occurs: whether occupants know what to do, whether installed safety systems will function when needed and whether such systems have been tested recently,” she informed. 

She stressed that regular testing of asset and accountability are essential, describing safety as a continuous process rather than a one-off exercise.

The conference is expected to bring together building owners, developers, facility managers, emergency responders and other safety professionals to discuss strategies for strengthening fire prevention and safety practices in the state and the country at large.