Beyond Carlton has launched India’s first mobile app on fire safety. The app encourages citizen participation in identifying fire safety violations and reporting the same for effective action by the Fire Department.
The app aims to:
• To help identify more violations that can be addressed by the authorities
• To sensitize and co-opt citizens to play a more dominant role in fire safety
Fire Champ, the mobile application, launched by Beyond Carlton along with technical support from IChangeMyCity.com and involvement of Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services enables you to report any fire-related measures not adhered to in a building around you. The building could be your apartment, your office complex, your kid’s school building etc.
There have been many fire-accidents in the past such as the Carlton Towers in Bangalore (in 2010), Krishna English Medium School at Kumbakonam (in 2004) and Uphaar Theatre in Delhi (in 1997) that have resulted high number of deaths. Many people could not escape the fire because of factors such as fire exit being blocked, fire extinguisher not working, etc., that could have been easily avoided.
Fire Champ, enables you to click a picture using the app, enter the description of the complaint and your complaint is posted! The complaint that you post will be shared by Beyond Carlton with the Fire Department who will take preventive actions and ensure that fire safety norms are followed.
The app is currently available on the Apple store and the Google Play store.
You can download the app from:
• The Apple store for your iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fire-‐ champ/id885018955?mt=8%E2%80%8B
• The Google Play store for your Android phone: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.janaagraha.firechamp
About Beyond Carlton:
Beyond Carlton’s primary objective is to create a safer environment by addressing issues around fire safety, including policy and legislative changes, as well as to ensure accountability. Family members of those who passed away and injured in the fire are the founding members of the Trust.
Beyond Carlton participates in internal corporate workshops on fire safety and is working with industry bodies to address issues around fire safety. It was instrumental in filing a PIL in the Karnataka High Court in 2011 and managed to get strict new laws implemented for violations in high rises in Karnataka.
Beyond Carlton has been recognized for its various efforts and its Managing Trustee, Uday Vijayan received the prestigious Namma Bengaluru Award in 2012.
The content for this article has been taken from a press note sent by Beyond Carlton group.
Related Articles
‘Beyond Carlton’ group keeps fire safety issue burning
Fire safety: 25 things to keep in mind
As far as my experience goes so far no new apps can help to avoid another Carlton Tower type tragedy. I live in a multilevel (10) apartment complex of two blocks and the builder provided one of the best Fire safety System existed during 2000. Even after the Owner’s welfare association was formed, no care was taken to maintain the system. Post Carlton Tower Fire, and few others with in 10 days, I approached the Association to immediately get a Fire Safety Audit done which was ignored. Then as a member of the Association I took it upon myself and wrote the first letter to the Office of the Director, Karnataka State Fire Services, Bangalore, on 20th March 2010. The inspection was done on 24-06-2011 (after 15 months) and they found SIX major defects and issued a notice to the President of the Association on 02-08-2011 (after TWO months) to rectify all the defects with in 30 days and if not complied action will be taken as per Government Notification No:HD 33SFB-2011 dated 07-07-2011.But the association did nothing and I kept reminding the Office of the Director General. The last letter was written on 17-05-2014 highlighting the critical flaws in the safety system was received (I got the postal acknowledgement) but so far no action has been taken.
When an ordinary citizen who purchased an apartment to live safely, the Fire Safety Department and the Owners Welfare Association does not care about it at all. I can highlight such deficiencies with photographs and documents.
When the Owners Welfare Association (the FY account show that they spent Rs.2.6 lakhs on Fire Safety, and the concerned department does not even bother what are you going to do with the “app”????