Initiative to strengthen fire safety

On Tuesday 18 February 2025, Polytechnics Mauritius, located on the Pamplemousses campus, hosted the launch of the « Train the Trainer: Fire Safety and Emergency Response Preparedness » programme. This project aims to improve fire safety skills and knowledge among professionals.

In his address, Ranjiv Woochit, Minister of Local Government, highlighted the importance of this initiative to strengthen fire safety education in Mauritius. He assured that trainers will be certified by the relevant authorities and that companies will benefit from quality training provided by experts.

This initiative is the result of a partnership between the Ministry of Local Government, the Mauritius Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), the Mauritius Qualifications Authority (MQA) and Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd (PML). After several meetings between stakeholders and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2021, the program was officially approved in September 2024.

PML Managing Director Yamal Matabudul added that discussions to organize these courses had started in November 2023. Furthermore, Asok Kumar Kehlary, the Chief Fire Officer, spoke about the 558 fires recorded in the previous year, hoping that this training will help reduce these numbers. In short, this event aims to ensure that the country has a pool of qualified trainers to improve fire safety and thus protect lives and property.