Report 1 (of 7): Bomberos 65! - Peru

Introduction

The areas of Caqueta and La Victoria are situated on the peripheries of Lima. They are the poorest, largest and most densely populated regions in Peru and as such, they are the most vulnerable to the many hazards that affect the country. Caqueta is one of the oldest parts of Lima and there are about 2 million people living in the area. The majority of them are traders who work in the nearby markets.

Market Conditions

There are no formal connections to the electricity companies in the markets and electric wires run haphazardly over the market roofs with one connection servicing thousands of stalls. The storage facilities are in very bad condition and packed full of inflammable goods and hazardous materials, for example, gasoline, glues, clothing and paper. The markets pose a serious fire risk to vendors and customers alike.

For the majority of traders, their stock is their only capital and with no insurance, a fire, however small, can be devastating. The inaccessible narrow streets and traffic jams mean that the fire engines often cannot reach the fire in time to prevent it from becoming a huge blaze.

Small scale disasters, such as fires, dangerous wiring and the collapse of buildings etc. when accumulated threaten and affect lives and livelihoods, perpetuating poverty greatly.

Bomberos and Equipment

The bomberos station is manned 24 hours by whoever can spare the time - sometimes there are three bomberos and sometimes eight - it is an entirely voluntary force. The local volunteer bomberos (firefighters) respond to incidents - mainly, fires and road traffic accidents - in five adjoining regions, some of which can be in excess of 2 hours travelling distance away.

The vehicle being used until recently was about 30 years old and unsuitable for the majority of the area covered. Only two working hydrants existed in the area, with one underground water tank of unknown capacity near the market. The equipment held by Caqueta was totally inadequate for the tasks that the bomberos were required to carry out. There were very few hoses and ropes, only two fire extinguishers, two old harnesses for ravine rescues, small tools and only one stretcher with holes in it. There was no road traffic accident rescue equipment and no medical equipment.

Reducing Fire Risk

In 1996, EcoCuidad, a local non-governmental organisation, supported by the European Commission and the Department for International Development (DFID) began a project to educate people in Lima about fire risks.

The aim of the project was to promote risk awareness and education at community and rescue services level, thereby reducing the risks and promoting community action in Caqueta. The project is focused on the traders and community associations as well as fire services.

The project also supported the shipment of a suitable vehicle and fire fighting equipment through Rapid UK, a disaster preparedness charity. The vehicle needed to be small to negotiate the narrow streets; have a pumping and rescue capability giving a combined rapid first response; four wheel drive to cope with the different terrains and a make of vehicle that would enable the bomberos to obtain parts relatively easily.

Training Workshops

The training workshops covered safety; teamwork; initial entry; the effective use of jets; chemical incidents; ventilation; road traffic accident methods; practical pump operation; hose drills and ladders; types of fires; varieties of extinguishers and other forms of putting out fires; earthquake and other risks; first aid; rescue and practical evacuations. This training was carried out by facilitators from Rapid UK and Gloucestershire Fire Services.

The outcome of the workshops was the development of good practices, action plans and measures which would be taken by market traders to reduce risks within the markets.

Community Risk Awareness Raising

Community risk awareness raising includes the identification and training of a community risk fire officer through using existing community traders and community associations; increasing community support for fire/rescue services and enhancing community risk awareness through risk awareness training workshops.

By identifying the components of risk reduction initiatives, there have been significant improvements in the condition of markets through the removal of inflammable materials and rubbish, such as plastic and cardboard, the clearing of exit routes and the purchasing fire fighting equipment, including fire extinguishers and sand buckets. Holes in the market floor have been repaired and electricity meters and supply switches have been checked, repaired and in some instances, moved. There has been a general cleaning up of the market and the stalls have been painted. Some of the stalls that were obstructing passageways have been moved.

Strengthening Existing Fire and Rescue Services in Risk Reduction

This part of the project included the training of trainers (for market risk awareness), supervisors and fire team leaders; the provision of basic fire fighting equipment for fire teams through local community initiatives and improving linkages between fire services and local communities.

The Pride of Gloucestershire

The vehicle, called the Pride of Gloucestershire, was sponsored in part by the British Embassy in Lima and the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Services. Since its arrival in Lima, it has been responsible, with the crews, for rescuing many people. For example, during the first six weeks of its use, it was involved in the rescue of eight people, three of them children from the ravine and it has attended 60 calls during this time.

Prior to the new fire engine attending incidents, the explosion of methane gas under houses built on rubbish tips resulted in eight houses being destroyed with several fatalities because the bomberos were unable to reach the fires due to the size of vehicle and lack of hose. A bus careered into a ravine in the foothills killing 18 people and injuring 23 others. It took bomberos one and a half hours to reach the scene and then they had very little equipment to carry out the rescue effectively.

Ambulances

No ambulance exists in the Caqueta area although they have trained medics and a doctor within their company. Victims of fire and road accidents have to wait hours for an ambulance from another bomberos station. Only nine community ambulances which are run by the volunteer bomberos exist in Lima, the rest are run by private companies which are insurance based and cannot be afforded by anyone in the regions of Caqueta and La Victoria.

The La Victoria station has a 27 year old ambulance that is continually breaking down due to its age and it is also inadequately equipped.

A fully equipped ambulance for Caqueta has been donated by the West Country Ambulance Service in the UK and an ambulance has been funded for the region of La Victoria by the Military Order of the Collar. Further funding of GBP £4,200 is still being sought for one paramedic and two fire fighters to complete the necessary training.

For further information, please contact:

Intermediate Technology would like to thank John Holland for providing the original material and pictures on the volunteer Bomberos in Lima and the Department for International Development (DFID) and EcoCuidad for funding the project.

TVE/ Practical Action gratefully acknowledge support for the HANDS ON programmes from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID), the European Commission (EC), the UN Foundation and UNDP/The Equator Initiative in collaboration with the Government of Canada, IDRC, IUCN, BrasilConnects and the Nature Conservancy.