Script of Prateep Paritat (Young Firefighters section)

Dek Dub Fire

Broadcast on TV 12 May, 2001

Scene

Soundtrack

Fierce flames, scenes of people feeling and dying. News headlines about the losses caused by fires.

Children change into firefighter uniforms (to

 the Dek Dub Fire music on March 24, 2001 between

8 and 8.30 a.m.)

(As children get changed)

(Not in Thai script):Donning firefighting uniforms

Children now changed and dressed as firefighting

Again and again, the heat of the flames in a fire takes lives and destroys the property of those who lose almost everything.

Fire disasters occur every day and the main cause is carelessness or lack of knowledge.

All of this could be prevented.

Interview with Ajarn Kanathat Chantrsiri Lung (Uncle) Tom the president of FARA Fire and Rescue Association ofThailand.

"As we asked around about fire accidents involving children, in about 20-30 percent of cases were children die it is because adults do not look after than properly. We believe that this shouldn’t happen to children in the future if there is more care for them."

We asked then why they chose to join the program, what they thought about it and hoped to get out of it.

Interviews with children undergoing training

Girl: I’m interested and I think it is useful, so I came.

Boy: how to escape from a fire or to put out a fire? Can we use heavy machinery?

Girl; I want to know to put out or prevent a fire.

Girl: To prevent a fire from breaking out.

This is a group of children who volunteered for

the Young Firefighters (Dek Dub Fire) Program

a project of the Fire and Rescue Association (FARA)

set up to save the lives of Thai children by teaching them how to prevent fire and to survive accidents.

Children seated respectfully, listening to the Ajarn speaking

The Blind Young Firefighters

Interview with  Ajarn Kanathat

"The idea for the Dek Dub Fire project

Stemmed from it being standard practice in

Countries  around the world to train people from the time that they are very young. I adapted these techniques and principles for Thai children and of the procedures to comply with Thai culture."

They will begin their transformation into Young Firefighter by first feeling the uniform of a firefighter, the coat, the hat, the scarf and the boots. Then, importantly, everybody has to wear the hat when they go into action.

….Sound of Ajarn speaking about the importance of the hat…

An important training activity for young firefighters is to impart he spirit of concern for safety for young people aged between 8-12 years old to prepare them to become adults, to stress to them how important safety is. Training is held every three months with on free charged, and this is the 18^th time this has been conducted. The first time there are blind children joining in the course.

(The events perform 4 times a year with none payable)

Interview with blind children

Do you think being blind an obstacle for training?

"My wish is that all disabled children, not just the blind, are as safe as ordinary children"

Training to form a line and other routines

Blind children engage in the training

Picture of Yah, Nang and Chavalit following instructions)

“Dek Dub Fire will give continuous training to each group for two days about safety and the knowledge of the how to save lives”

At the heart of the “Dek Dub Fire”is the slogan

“Goodness brings safety and Dek Dub Fire

put out fire in the hearts of people."

We want to train  children to learn how to help others. we take an oath that children must give themselves, can make sacrifices, do not give up, and to give without expecting anything in return.

And they have the duty as children that they have to be respected members of the community and  have  good character.

This means that the children have to prepare themselves to make sacrifices and ultimately to be good people. And when you are a good person, helping other is not difficult, while at the same time, we also want the children know themselves and other human beings.

First of all before they are going to learn about coping with disasters, the children must first learn to cultivate orderliness within themselves.

Training to make  a line will help the children to have discipline and to know how to work together in a group.

even though they have sight disabilities, Yah, Nang and Chavalit are not afraid of  joining in.

This training will help control many people during an emergency.

At the  Kru DeK classroom the children are learning how to use medical instruments and how to perform medical examinations

Children learn how to use medical equipment

• Teaching how to feel for the pulse

• Teaching how to use blood pressure meter

This group is senior class of the Dek Dub  Fire

That have come for additional training to develop their knowledge on an ongoing basis.

"After graduating from  Noo Jah, the child volunteers are then called him or her Kru Dek. Training will be more advanced  as they go along. For example in firefighting, they will learn how to fight fires and learn how to use water hoses and the use of “snap link” sliding down ropes ,and how to cope with other disasters and other ways to save lives."

One the first day of training , Kru Dek will learn how to use basis first aid equipment to be able to check vital body life signs and function.

…..picture of the doctor  teaching, how to take pulse

…..children take their own pulse

Taking a person’s blood pressure is one way of checking physical health, and tells how the cardio vascular system is functioning. The blood pressure meter measures in two stages, the first when the heart contracts and then again when the heart is fully relaxed (the lower figure of the tow) Normal blood pressure is around 120/80.

Interview with Kru Dek children as they undergo training about how to fires happen and how extinguish them. “ 3-4-6 walk on the right-hand side (opposite the car direction side) to save lives”(the way to prevent and put out fires)

(Filmed 10.30-12.00)

Children listen to the teacher and ask question

Children listen to teaching about a fire

Knowing how to from a line, it is now time for the Noo Jah to learn about fires, and how to put them out.

Everyone can prevent and help fires from breaking out by taking precautions. But if fire has broken out, the important thing is to control the area of the flames with a quick reaction, by knowing the important numbers

“3-4-6 Walk on the right side to save lives“

(The walk direction should opposite the car direction, in Thailand the car direction are on the left hand side)

….sound of long Tom (Uncle Tom) teaching children about the three important factors for firefighter.

Three thing “3” must  be elements

Necessary to start a fire. The first this oxygen,

The second is fuel and the third is heat.

To put out  a fire, these three factors must be controlled,

To deny air (oxygen) in, remove the fuel

(combustible materials) and reduce the heat.

The 4 classification of fire 

The number “4” stands for the four classes of fire as they are internationally recognized by A,B,C, and D.

Class A fire – fires in ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cloth and grass

Symbol is green triangle with a white letter “A” in the center

Class B fire-fires occurring in flammable liquids such as gasoline, oils, paints and coking fats

Symbol is red square with a white letter “B” in the center

Class C fire-fires in live electrical

Equipment such as motors, switches and appliances

Symbol is blue circle with a white letter” C” in the center

Class D fire-fires in flammable metals such as magnesium and other special metals

Symbol is a yellow five pointed star with a with a white letter “ D “ in the center

…….sound of loong Tom saying  that the children don’t have the duty to put out a fire, but they can tell their parents to prepare water and to buy a fire extinguisher to prepare for an emergency.

Children leave the room to learn from a practical demonstration.

Various pieces of fire-fighting equipment.

Children using fire-fighting equipment with Loong Tom instruct them.

Children join in and extinguish a real fire.

The number “6” stands for the six categories of fire extinguishers.

“Noo jah “ will now have a change of  environment, dressing in the their uniforms to experience how to put out a real fire after learning how to use the fire-fighting equipment.

The fire-fighting equipment that is used is for

Class A fires only.

(1) soda acid

Extinguishers are not used in Thailand today

(2) Foam extinguishers are made of stainless steel and have a spray nozzle and are used to put out Class A and B fires.

(3)water pressure extinguishers are made of stainless steel and used for a class A fires.

(4) Carbon dioxide (CO2)fire extinguishers come with hose and horn nozzle.  These are used for fire of class C and B fires.

(5) Dry chemical powder fire extinguishers these are red containers, and are suitable for fire class B,C and A (if expert)

(6) Halotron fire extinguishers and can be used for fire class B and C fires

(BCF Halon contain CFCs , which endanger the environment and now they have been withdrawn ).

These are used for fire of class C and B fires.

…Sound of Loong Tom summarizing fire-fighting equipment that is used.

Portable fire-fighting equipment such as this comprises a container, a hose with a nozzle and trigger with a pain  and a pressure gauge.  before use, the pin must be remove.

……Loong Tom teaches how to remove the safety pin.

It is important to check the pressure gauge as this signifies whether he can continue to be used or not. If there is on pressure, the needle will point to the left. And the tank must be quickly refilled.

……Loong Tom: the needle shows it can be used, but when it points to the left, it cannot.

Now is the time to do a real practice.“putting out fire is not playing at selling goods.”

Children practice putting out a fire.

The fire is completely extinguished.

Every Noo Jah must join in and help put out a fire. They should be up-wind and three to four meters away from the flames.

The must pull out the pin and raise the hose in front of them, holding it tightly and then squeezing the trigger, concentrating on the base of fire, spraying, at the source of the flames, spray close to themselves first and than further away and waving from side to side allowing the chemical to put the flames.

…….the sound of Loong  Toom  teaching the children to practice putting out a fire.

 ……Yah, the blind child, practices with her friends.

It is not as easy for her to spray the chemicals as for her friends, but it is not beyond her capabilities.

……Nang helps put out a blaze.

This is a training practice. But when a real fire breaks out, it is not the children’s responsibility to fight a fire. Instead, they should call for adults to come in and put out the blaze and their responsibility is to escape and muster at an appointed place (assembly point). If there are many people they should keep right in a line( in Thailand) to help save lives to avoid confusion and promote safety.

Dawn. Dek Dub Fire joins in taking an oath.

Dreaming about being a doctor.

The children learn how to conduct first aid and to perform life-saving procedures (CPR)

In the afternoon, 1p.m. to 3 p.m.

Unconscious people who cannot be woken up. Ask for help and then to breathe

Artificial respiration is administered

Chest compression (massaging the heart)

Before starting their training on the second day, the children must take an oath to declare their intention to be a safety leader.

….sound of children taking the oath (Vow)

Dreaming about the day that they will become a doctor, the fundamentals of life-saving is essential knowledge for Dek Dub Fire

A life-saving fundamental is cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a way to save lives when the heart has stopped working or if breathing has suddenly stopped that does not require any medical instruments to restore the heartbeat.

 CPR should be performed within four minutes of the patient having stopped breathing.

When finding an unconscious casualty,  you first try  to wake them up and then ask for help from someone nearby. Then, check whether the casualty is breathing or not, if not, help to open the air way by holding the head tilt and the chin lift.

….the sound of Ajam Soey (Sunee) teaching children to check whether the casualty is breathing or not by using moving their heads tilt with two fingers on their chin, and looking, listening and putting their cheeks next to their nose and mouth.

If the casualty is not breathing, the casualty must quickly be helped by blowing air into casualty lungs, using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (artificial respiration).

….To help breathing, open the mouth wide, place your mouth firmly over the casualty’s mouth, close the nostrils to prevent air from escaping and breathe in.

Reviving an unconscious person

Help when there are two people

Children carry out CPR

Nurses help with the CPR

After that feel for the pulse at the neck to check whether the heart is beating. If there is no pulse there, you must prepare to pump or massage the heart.

…massaging the heart

The massaging of the heart must be performed 15 times alternating with breathing into the casualty’s lungs the mouth twice. This is regarded as one cycle, and after completing four cycle, check the pulse again. if there are no signs of life, repeat this procedure. But if the casualty begins breathing, quickly send him or her to hospital for treatment.

If there are two person, one to massage the    heart and the other to provide artificial respiration. The heart should be massaged five times and then artificial respiration provided once, and this process repeated 10 times( now changing to do as same as one rescuer : 2:15 and 2005 change again to 2:30 ), after which the pulse should be checked. If there is still no pulse, this procedure should be continued and the cycle repeated. Importantly, children should remember that CPR should be practiced with dummies only and absolutely never to do this with real people.

…loong Tom saying that if it is done with real people, the pressure on the heart can be life-threatening.  

Now it is practice time. Even if the concept is strange. All the Noo Jah tries to learn how to do this

Being blind is not a big obstacle in carrying this out since blind children have the same dedication as ordinary children. The important thing to remember before performing CPR is that the trainee needs to become an expert in this and to have confidence in performing thisife-saving act so that they will be able to save real lives during an emergency.

Children use the Fire Escape Device to escape from high buildings

Ordinary Fire Escape Device

Children use the Fire Escape Device with different levels of confidence.

Interview with Noo Jah

…sound effects…

After learning all the techniques to prevent accidents and to help save the lives of fire casualty it is now time for Noo jah to learn how to escape safety from a fire in a building. Fire Escape Device is one way to escape from tall buildings that is safe and quick. Auto Fire Escape Device is able to support a weight of up to 100kg and to prevent sliding down a rope too rapidly while traveling from a high altitude down to the ground. It can save both those who are conscious and also those who are unconscious.

If there are many people trapped in a building where there is a fire, the ordinary Fire Escape Device can save lives, although it should be used by experienced people.

…showing how the children slide to safety

When there is a fire in a building, try to flee by the nearest emergency fire exit, by going downstairs rather than by going upstairs. If  you see smoke try to crawl low and avoid inhaling it and flee to the designated meeting point and count the number present.

This is the first time that the children will practice escaping from a tall building and they have different emotion. But, in the end, everyone can do it.

What I have learned from “Dek Dub Fire”

Interview with Loong Tom (uncle tom)

Children receive a certificate to show that they have completed the Dek Duk Fire training course

"I hope that this inspires the children to know how to think and to understand how others think and also to see the dangers that exist and also to know how to prevent these.

Also hope that they strongly communicate what is important in the prevention of accident to their parents, such as by not smoking cigarettes or by not do everything to avoid accidents.

In these two days, I do not expect the children to become

experts in fire-fighting."

The success of Dek Duk Fire does not lie in the ability of these children to put out real fires, but rather it is in the hearts and souls of the children who are now aware of safety,who now know how to survive themselves and how to help other, building love and unity and a feeling of generosity and of kindness to others in their hearts.