Amal Al-Sibai

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The director of Jeddah Civil Defense, Turki Al-Harthi, inaugurated the fire safety awareness campaign launched by Saudi Aramco, under the theme of "Smoke Alarm Protects Me".



The campaign took off amid large crowds at the Mall of Arabia in the presence of Saudi Aramco representatives, the public relations and media director of Jeddah police department and several other senior government officials.



Brig. Al-Harthi toured the educational booths and activities organized by Saudi Aramco, intended to educate society on fire hazards, how they can be prevented in the first place, and how to correctly respond in case a fire emergency arises.



Children are taught what to do if a fire strikes at home or school. Visitors viewed a documentary about the importance of installing a smoke detector in every home. Fire fighters stressed how this simple device could save lives.



This campaign is yet another contribution from Saudi Aramco to educate the public on personal safety. Through engaging activities and inviting shoppers to participate and listen in a fun and interesting environment, the campaign successfully met its goals. Such an activity in a busy and popular shopping mall brings the issue of fire safety to the forefront of Jeddah residents’ attention.



Fire safety awareness in the community, in homes, schools and in the workplace is surprisingly low, and as past accidents have shown us, the results can be fatal.



“A study revealed the worrying fact that 96 percent of Jeddah residents have failed to install a smoke detector in their homes. Installing a smoke alarm in the home is easy, cost-effective, and is a wise preventive measure that could save lives, property and valuables,” said Brig. Al-Harthi.



Families are welcome to visit the fire safety awareness workshop held in the Mall of Arabia for two whole weeks.



Visitors can attend lectures, watch a live demonstration on how to install a smoke alarm and check if it is working properly, read literature, learn about quick evacuation plans, and participate in lively contests to test their fire safety knowledge.



Gifts will be distributed, as well as free smoke alarms, by Saudi Aramco at the mall every day for two weeks between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. Be sure to check out the activities and pick up your family’s smoke alarm.