Moldova fire crews launch nationwide school safety drills
Moldovan emergency crews launched a nationwide safety campaign across schools this week to teach pupils and educators life-saving emergency protocols, following earlier sessions that reached over 8,000 participants this year.
Expanding emergency preparedness
Officers from the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) are visiting primary and secondary schools across the country as the new academic year gets underway. The initiative builds on efforts earlier this year, which trained more than 7,000 students and 1,000 teachers in crisis response.
“It is a major challenge for the inspectorate, as our teams aim to reach institutions we could not visit last year,” said IGSU press officer Liliana Pușcașu during an appearance on public broadcaster Moldova 1. “Children must know how to react in hazardous situations and what steps to take during an emergency.”
Pușcașu highlighted the vital role of civic alertness, citing an incident in Bălți where a 15-year-old boy helped save a resident from a burning apartment by spotting the fire and promptly alerting nearby firefighters.
Focus on practical drills
While students learn evacuation rules theoretically, officials noted that panic often disrupts orderly exits during actual fires or earthquakes. To address this, the campaign places equal focus on preparing teaching staff, who also undergo instruction at the national training centre alongside local authority representatives.
“Teachers are trained to lead evacuations regardless of whether firefighters have reached the scene,” Pușcașu noted, referencing previous fire incidents in educational facilities that underlined the need for clear on-site command.
Inspectors are also reviewing physical safety measures in school buildings, checking that emergency exit routes remain unlocked, clearly marked, and completely free of furniture or other obstructions during class hours.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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