How to Localise Floods Prevention and Safety in Kenyan homes

Author Reference

Benard., L., (2015): How to localise floods prevention and safety in Kenyan homes. Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya.

House after devastating floods

How to Localise Floods Prevention and Safety in Kenyan homes

Many scholars all over the globe have studied floods, flooding and its implications in social setting. Some of these studies have been done in Kenya especially during the worst flooding the country experienced in 1997/98 in which about 300, 000 households were displaced mainly from the rural areas. This time round the news reporting seems to be concentrated in major towns like Nairobi and Mombasa where flooding has caused devastating effects to families with nowhere to turn to. The floods reporting seems to indicate that the problems at the rural areas were solved and now the problem shifts to the major towns where there is more pressure resulting from overpopulation and natural environmental degradation. For those who have been in Kenya at this time of the year will attest to it that floods have affected many town and city dwellers lives. A local radio station even gave a chance to its listeners to suggest new names for the various estates and the suggested names varied from South C to “South Sea”, from South B to “South Beach”, from Westlands to “Wetlands”, from Umoja to “Umaji” and many others. To prepare for any eventualities the Nairobi resident in any of the above estates should focus on the following:

1. Establish an Emergency Flood Kit

For a typical Kenyan in any of the estates above and any major town like Mombasa that is experiencing floods, it is important to have an emergency kit which would be any ready to move package containing your most important documents. Your most important documents would range from your personal identification documents unless it is in your nature to go bed with these documents, also include a set of clothing in case you will be evacuated and need a set of cloths to change and again this kit should also contain your medication if undergoing through treatment.

2. Visit the Meteorological Website for Update Information

At this point in time many Kenyans are online and the average Kenyan can at least once in a day accesses the internet. Make it a habit during the flooding period to visit the Kenyan meteorological department as the current local TV stations only broadcast disasters but not their projections. Only if the local stations made it a habit to have a dedicated Weather broadcaster like it used to be in the 1990s then the populous would have been alerted before the flooding disaster strike. The website www.meteo.go.ke gives the daily, five-day, seven-day, monthly and seasonal forecasts. The weatherman in most instances does not lie in their projections and collaborating with other world forecast bodies would give a projection that will guide your stay within your estate without fear of floods.

Part of a house is demolished by raging floods

3. Emergency Contact Numbers

Any emergency irrespective of the nature and type cannot be predicted to the exact time and location. It is therefore important to arm yourself with a list of telephone numbers that includes the nearest police station, closes family members, the disaster management operation center, the Intel Fire Group. The following phone numbers in Kenya will therefore be very important:

The Kenya Police Emergency -    999

The Kenya Police Hotline -    020 272 4154  / 020 355 6771

Safaricom Emergency Reporting   –    112

The Kenya Red Cross-    395 (From Safaricom line)

Intel Fire Group        -    0733 386633

Every resident of a given estate should strive to know the emergency contact numbers of their nearest police station and an emergency rescue department.

4. Minimize Damage by moving valuables to higher ground

This will apply so well if your house has an upstairs and if not then ask a neighbour in an upper floor to help you keep your most valuable items like electrical. These keeping in mind that some of these items are kept in waterproof materials such as polythene. The Nyumba Kumi initiative comes in handy at this point as you already know your neighbour and will not seeking to establish a rapport during the flood period. If you have never bothered to know your neighbour then this will be the starting point.

5. Know history of your estate

Some would ask the importance of knowing where you rent a house, a flat, a room , a residential or any other names you call it. The land dealers would tell you that in Kenya the right time to buy land especially when in isolation is during rainy season as it would tell you the kind of environment. The housing agents would also tell you that if you are not getting a house in palatial estate then the right time would be during rainy season and no wonder most relocations happen about this period of the year. No conclusive research has been undertaken on these general theories in Kenya but they are substantial common beliefs. Have a general knowledge about the estate in terms of flooding, crime, and infrastructure status before moving to your new address.

In conclusion, these suggestions have not been proven by any study as the basic clerical steps in flood prevention but are scholarly relational studies by the author localised to the Kenyan environment to help those seeking basic solutions on flood prevention at the home level.

The Author is a Research Generalist in Projects Management Specializing in Safety Service Delivery

Contact – info@intelfiregroup.com / www.intelfiregroup.com

How to enhance security at the local church in Kenya

Author Reference

Benard., L., (2015): How to enhance security at the local church in Kenya. Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya.

A local church in a remote village

How to enhance security at the local church in Kenya

Kenya has experienced some of the worst security issues in the horn of Africa and this to a larger extent has been targeted at churches and even those targeting other institutions of higher learning has been castigated on religion background. Churches at the capital Nairobi and major towns in Kenya have enhanced their security by, among other measures, hiring private security firms to take charge of their security operations during church services. In most of these churches the private security firms have ensured that there is surveillance, night patrols and in even bigger churches a patrol base established within the church. The bigger question therefore is “Are all churches equal”.

According to how you view this statement your answer will definitely be that not all churches are equal in the “eyes” of man but to God they are the same. Back to enhancing security, the local churches in Kenya especially those in remote areas do not have the same budget as those in town therefore their security setup in most cases will not involve the hiring of a private security firm. In these churches their security is composed of the members of the church who will take turn in guarding the entry points and the surrounding of the church. For these particular churches they are the easiest targets to security threats as churches are supposed to welcome strangers. Take for example a church in Turkana and West Pokot area where cattle rustling have been reported and many people killed, the threat is local security threat. To enhance security in these areas therefore, the local churches needs to consider implementing the following procedures:

1. Train Church security team on basic security enhancement techniques

They may not be able to pay for the training but the church should focus on one of its members with advanced knowledge on security issues to train the team on basic steps to take to ensure the team participation can secure the rest of the church members. The trainer can either be a church member or even the local police not to mention the immense skills of the police reservists in most of these remote community churches. This usually is not an intense training which leads to certification but a general training that creates awareness to the team on majorly security screening, surveillance and threat identification and handling.

2. Limit the entry and exit points to the church

This in some churches this might be a tall order as the church itself is incomplete in an isolated unfenced compound. But again the team can mobilize its members and place temporary fence around the church and ensure that the entry and exit point to the church compound is one and since the population is usually low, the entry and exit point to the church room should also be one. This is simple to ensure there is an order into and out of the church and any violation should arouse suspicion of a security breach.

3. Talk to members as they get into the church

Most security threats have been thwarted through establishing the background of threat perpetuators and one such way is the security engaging each and every one attending the church service as they go through the entry point. This does not mean the team engages in long village talks but just a greeting especially to strangers just get a little bit on them as they join the church service.

4. Screen the attendees to the church service

These texts have indicated that these churches are in remote areas and using metal detectors and scanners is out of the question as one they cannot afford and even if they did they would not know where to get it. The best screening method is conducting a head-to-toe hand search for any metal like material carried by the church goer. The metal-like devices like phones must be seen by the team conducting the search and if in the pockets it must be removed for confirmation. Any weapon especially light weapons like knives, rungus and others should never be allowed at the church.

5. Rotate the security team members

After a period of time, the members to the security team should be resulfled and new members added into the team who will learn from the rest. Just a caution that not all the team members should be replaced as this would mean building from scratch the security team.

Yes security must start with the church members, but the members must be proactive in dealing with security issues at the church and around the church community.

The Author is a Research Generalist in Projects Management Specializing in Safety Service Delivery

Contact – info@intelfiregroup.com / www.intelfiregroup.com

Langata women's prison fire leaves more than 20 warders homeless

Resident watch as houses belonging to prison warders at Langata prison go up in flames yesterday.

A fire destroyed the mabati houses of more than 20 Lang'ata Women's Prison warders on Thursday.The fire at about 5.25 am reportedly started after a warder forgot to disconnect an iron.Another on her way to work alerted others when she noticed the smoke at the house.They tried to put it out but gas cylinders exploded worsening the situation.The National Youth Service arrived at about 6.45 am after the fire had been quelled and some property salvaged.Officers from the prisons department are visiting those affected.

Read more: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/langata-womens-prison-fire-leaves-more-20-warders-homeless#sthash.pjBLkZHx.dpbs

Students turned away as Cardinal Otunga High School - Mosocho is closed indefinately after fire breakout

Cardinal Otunga High School - Mosocho

Reports are indicating that the famous school, Cardinal Otunga in Mosocho Kisii has been closed indefinitely after fire broke out and burnt three dormitories. This happened at the time the students most of whom had not heard the news of the fire incident were reporting back. The school which is sponsored by the Catholic Church has a student population of about 1100. Two of the dormitories were allegedly burnt on the reporting day Tuesday at around 5.30PM as the students gathered at the assembly point to listen to the Principal's opening speech and announcements. The third dormitory is reported to have been burnt when the administration officers guarding the previous site of the other two burn went for lunch, this happening a day after the previous incident.

After investigations are on-going, the school has now been closed indefinitely as more than 250 students were affected by the inferno.

Read more at: www.standardmedia.co.ke

Back to School Safety Tips for Kenyan Students and Pupils

Author Reference

Benard., L., (2015): Back to School Safety Tips for Kenyan Students and Pupils Reporting Back to School. Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya.

Back to School Safety Tips for Kenyan Students and Pupils

It is another time of the year when student and pupils in Kenya are reporting back to the second term of the schools’ calendar. Looking at the major streets in Nairobi and other towns through different video reports by various local TV stations paints a picture of different uniforms from different schools for students either waiting to board, have done shopping and even some with their parents on toe. Academic professionals in the education industry will tell that this is good news for the country as many young teenagers are seeking education to transform Kenya into a future working nation.

In this period of time the students and their parents alike need to carefully take into consideration measures that will ensure their children report back to school safely. This extract therefore is intended to give tips on safety measures as students and pupils go back to school.

1. The Student should always be in their school uniform

The uniform is to easily identify the student to the many strangers and more so enable you as a student take advantage of strength in majority as the Matatu transport service may resort to offer a vehicle to transport you and your colleagues up to the school compound at a small fee or at no extra charge. Your school on this occasion may also offer a ride to its students from the nearest town to the school and the only identification as is the case will be the full school uniform. In case of any eventualities, God forbid, the uniform will be the direct and easier way for general identification of victims before the specific identification process is undertaken. Your uniform, therefore, in every aspects plays a bigger role.

2. Keep to the sidewalks and use footbridges where available

Incidences of students being hit by moving cars have been the norm during this period and the figure from the 2014 statistics reveal a danger yet to be discovered on walking by the road as the on-coming and going cars are driven at high speeds. The student should strive to always use the sidewalks and footbridges which are provided in major roads and where there is need to cross from one side of the road to the other without a footbridge, look for a zebra crossing.

In most instances these fundamental observation are breached by the parents and/or guardians taking the same students to schools. In such a case therefore, the student should take charge as most have always done by following what they have learned on safety.

3. Never travel at night unless it is necessary

Recently research has shown that most accidents albeit major ones occur during the night mainly due to the fatigue and non-clear vision on the part of the driver. These accidents are attributed to the driver working longer hours than required and this is why the Kenyan government implemented a rule that requires every night travel bus to have at least two drivers but this remains just a rule and its effective application and implementation is yet to be seen. Therefore as a student during this time of the season better be safe and travel longer hours than risk the very life that makes you a student.

The day travel is usually done when the driver is fresh especially when you are traveling in the morning and therefore cases of accidents are rare occurrence and this is the best time for students to travel to their various destinations and especially so for those going longer distance.

4. Have records of emergency contact numbers

It would have been better to travel with a working mobile phone whose battery life will last the life-time of your journey but again Kenyan schools does not allow students to carry mobile phones therefore make sure, if they are not known off-head, that you have at least three numbers that you can call to your rescue in case of any emergency during your journey.

These numbers should be stored in a safe and easy to access place within your belongings especially in your wallet or pouches. This is to help emergency responders in any case any eventuality happen, to call for immediate family members and also help in making immediate emergency communications like your blood type.

5. Avoid asking strangers for directions

Many students have fallen into hands of con-men who not only fraud them of their pocket money but in some instances also the fees they were to pay in school. These are strangers who would look very innocent and cleanly dressed but have a well-articulated plan and the student is the target. If you must ask for a direction look for a police officer in uniform as there are usually many of them on patrol in any town you will be in or that security guard in front of some bank building or any security guard in uniform.

At least for these two groups of strangers they are no longer strangers as for one you know their employer and their station of work making reference easier. Remember that the greatest risk a student will indulge in is to trust a total stranger to deliver them to Canaan. This will not have only solved the problem but added into the growing list of students being conned on their way to schools.

As go back to school take safety measures and be safe, remember your life counts.

The Author is a Research Generalist in Projects Management Specializing in Safety Service Delivery

Contact – info@intelfiregroup.com / www.intelfiregroup.com