On Sunday Safar 30^th, 1438, corresponding to October 31, 2016, the Public Health and Health Information College conducted a scientific lecture titled “Fire Safety”. Pro. Adel Abu Seif Abdulmaqsud, supervisor of the Health Department of the Public Health and Health Information College at the Umm Al-Qura University, gave the lecture. Present at the lecture were Dr. Fadil Banjar, the Educational Affairs vice Deanship, a number of the departments’ supervisors and many of the academic staff members of the College’s departments. 

Still, Dr. Abu Seif touched upon a number of fire-related aspects and ways of handling them, such as fire triangle including combustible substances, oxygen and flame source. He also tackled fire principles, involving heat transfer means, such as convection, conduction, and flame and fire progression. Types of fire are broken down into A, B, C, D and F, according to the type of combustible substances. Each type has its characteristics and ways of fighting it. He also tackled ways to avoid fire breakout by making the combustible substances and oxygen and flame sources not combine together and by preventing heating that causes fire.

Dr. Abu Seif went on to explain ways of fighting fire. This is through following the appropriate fighting means for each type. Such means include fire blankets and diverse extinguishing tools, including water, foam, powder, carbon dioxide and halon among others. Similarly, he elaborated about manual and automatic fire alarm devices sensitive to heat, smoke and flame.

Dr. Abu Seif finally spoke about how to be well-prepared in the event that fire should break out. This includes equipping buildings with fire alarm devices, fire-proof doors, exit corridors and exits and gathering and evacuation points and fire extinguishing tools with all their kinds and colors combined. Also, among the tools are fire hose pulleys, sprinkler system and fire blankets, as well as training on how to act in case of fire breakout.

At the end of the lecture, Dr. Abu Seif engaged the attendance in discussion about the aspects of fire safety. These aspects involved examining and maintaining and verifying the readiness of fire alarm devices and fire fighting tools and society participation in extinguishing process.  He also touched upon the importance of training students on laboratory safety aspects at the beginning of the practical study applications, such as fire safety, and the significance of the College leading in educating, training and boosting in terms of keeping the society safe from fires and their hazards.