Fire Safety took centre stage as the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board organised an awareness and training workshop to prevent fire incidents and strengthen emergency response across the cantonment area. The session focused on practical steps to safeguard lives and property and on ensuring that local plazas and buildings meet essential safety standards.
The workshop was attended by nominated member Cantonment Board Zahid Iqbal Bakhtawari, Chief Cantt Engineer Atiq-ur-Rehman, officials from Rescue 1122, representatives of Anjuman-e-Tajran Rawalpindi Cantt and a wide range of participants from businesses and the community. Organisers emphasised collaboration between civic authorities, emergency services and local stakeholders to maintain consistent fire safety practices.
Participants were briefed on common causes of fire, preventive measures, the correct use of fire-fighting equipment and basic first aid techniques. Special attention was given to the need for fire safety installations in all plazas and multi-storey buildings in Rawalpindi Cantt, including clearly marked emergency exits, visible signage and other essential safety equipment to enable swift evacuation when required.
Experts from Rescue 1122 carried out practical demonstrations during the workshop, showing how calm and strategic action during an emergency reduces casualties and damage. Demonstrators stressed that knowing how to operate fire extinguishers, follow evacuation routes and administer immediate first aid can make a critical difference in the crucial minutes after an incident.
Speaking at the event, nominated member Cantonment Board Zahid Iqbal Bakhtawari urged regular fire safety training across the community so that timely and well-informed actions can be taken during emergencies. He noted that such preparedness protects precious human lives and mitigates major property losses.
Attendees described the workshop as informative and useful and expressed the hope that similar awareness and training activities will continue. The workshop concluded with a special prayer for those who lost their lives in the Gul Plaza tragedy, underscoring the importance of ongoing vigilance and community preparedness in fire safety.
