USandra wayekoyisezala esidla ukudla kwekuseni ngesikhathi ebona intuthu iphuma endlini eyayiseceleni kwalapho ayekhona. Yena lomkakhe uThomas bahle basukumela phezulu. USandra walanda i-fire extinguisher umkakhe yena wagijima esiyahlola ukuthi kuhamba njani. Wafika wayiqhubela umkakhe wasecitsha ngayo umlilo. USandra uthi: “Aluba asizange senze njalo indlu le yayizakutsha ilobe.”

Kuyini okwabanceda ukuthi bangatatazeli? Yikuthi bona labanye abangu-1 000 abasebenza egatsheni laboFakazi bakaJehova eliseSelters eGermany bafundiswa okumele bakwenze nxa sekube lomlilo.

Igatsha leli lingama-ekha angu 70. Lilamawofisi, izindlu zabasebenza khona, indawo yokuprintela, indawo yokuwatsha kanye lezinye izindawo ezilemitshina engalutho ukubamba umlilo. Kulohlangothi oluthiwa yi-Safety and Environment Department olukhangela ngokufundiswa kwabantu ngomlilo lendlela abangazivikela ngayo. Okokuqala kuleqembu elithiwa yi-Emergency Response Team elisebenza labakhangela ngezomlilo emphakathini. Okwesibili yikuthi bonke abasebenza egatsheni benza okulandelayo:

• Bayaqeqetshwa ukuthi bangaphuma njani esakhiweni nxa sekulomlilo.

• Bayafundiswa indlela abangacitsha ngayo umlilo.

• Bayafundiswa lokuvimba ukuthi umlilo ungasabalali.

Yikho izisebenzi lezi kumele zifundiswe izinto ezingaba luncedo nxa sekuvuke umlilo.

Izisebenzi lezi ziyafundiswa ukuthi zingenzani ukuze zingalimali nxa zicitsha umlilo. UChristin owake wafundiswa ukucitsha umlilo esesemncane wakhuluma ngokuqeqetshwa akuthola egatsheni wathi: “Ngangiphakamisa i-fire extinguisher, ngiyivule besengizama ukucitsha umlilo ngikhangele lapho umoya oya khona. Lokhu kwanceda ukuthi ilangabi lingangihaqazi ubuso. Ngafunda ukuwucitsha ngingedwa umlilo. Ngazofunda lokuwucitsha siliqembu.”

UDaniel oqeqetsha abantu abasebenza egatsheni indlela abangazivikela ngayo nxa kulomlilo uthi: “Ukubafundisa kwenza bangawesabi umlilo ngoba izikhathi ezinengi kungaba lomlilo abantu bajayele ukwethuka baswele lokuthi babambe ngaphi. Bayabe bengakwazi lokusebenzisa i-fire extinguisher. Kodwa nxa besazi ukuthi kumele benzeni kuba lula ukuthi bavimbe umlilo omncane ungabi mkhulu. Yikho bayafundiswa ukuthi i-fire extinguisher isetshenziswa njani. Lokhu kubenza babe lesibindi sokwenza okuthile nxa sekulomlilo.”

Abasebenza egatsheni leli bayabonga ngokuqeqetshwa abakutholileyo. UChristin esike sakhuluma ngaye uthi: “Ngangiqalisa ukubamba i-fire extinguisher ngezandla zami. Ngicabanga ukuthi wonke umuntu kumele afundiswe ngalokhu.” UNadja oncedisa egatsheni ngamalanga athile futhi osebenza egcekeni lezindiza uthi: “Okweminyaka engu-10 edlulileyo bebesitshela kuphela emsebenzini ukuthi singazivikela njani nxa kungaba lomlilo. Kodwa lapha egatsheni siyatshengiswa ukuthi singakwenza njani. Lokhu kungenza ngibe lesibindi. Khathesi sengikwazi okumele ngikwenze nxa kungaba lomlilo.”

USandra uthi ukuqeqetshwa akuthola egatsheni yikho okwamenza wasukumela phezulu ngesikhathi sekuvuke umlilo koyisezala. Uthi: “Angisakwesabi ukusebenzisa i-fire extinguisher. Kuhle ukuhlala siqeqetshwa minyaka yonke, mina kungincedile sibili.”

Ababona ngokucitsha umlilo bajayele ukubuya ewofisini yegatsha ukuze bazophrakthiza. UTheo Neckermann oyisikhulu sabacitsha umlilo uthi: “Uhlangothi lwethu lukhangela indawo esemaphandleni aseSelters. Sijayele ukucitsha umlilo ezindlini zabantu lasemaflethini. Kodwa amawofisi egatsha asendaweni le alezakhiwo ezinkulu lempahla enengi yikho kumele sidinge amanye amacebo ukuze senelise ukusebenza kuhle nxa kungaba lengozi. Kuyasithokozisa ukuzophrakthizela lapha.”

Amalunga edlula 100 asebenza kuhlangothi lwe-Emergency Response Team ajayele ukuphrakthiza lalabo abakhangela ngokucitsha umlilo emphakathini. Umnumzane uNeckermann uthi: “Kuyasithokozisa ukusebenza leqembu elibona ngokucitshwa komlilo egatsheni lenu. Indlela esibambisana ngayo labo yenza umsebenzi uhambe kuhle.”

Uhlangothi lolu kanye labakhangela ngezokucitsha umlilo batshengisa ukuthi bazingcitshi ngoFebruary 2014. Elinye ikamela elisegatsheni laqalisa ukuthunqa intuthu. UDaniel uthi: “Intuthu yayibambe okokuthi lezandla zethu sasingasaziboni. Safonela abakhangela ngezokucitsha umlilo ngemva kwalokho saqalisa ukukhipha abantu ezindlini ezingu-88. Bathi befika wonke umuntu wayesephumile.” UNeckermann uthi: “Akulula ukuthi abantu bonke laba baphume masinya esakhiweni esikhulu kangaka edolobheni elinjengeFrankfurt. Kuyakhanya ukuthi lafundiswa kuhle lina bantu kanye lokuthi iqembu lenu elibona ngomlilo lisebenza gadalala.” Ababona ngokucitshwa komlilo bayibona imbangela yomlilo lo basebeyikhupha. Akula owalimalayo futhi akubanga lomonakalo omkhulu.

Bonke abasegatsheni leSelters abakhangelelanga ukuthi kungaphinda kube lomlilo onjalo. Kodwa nxa kungenzakala ukuthi ubekhona izisebenzi zalapha zizimisele ukuwucitsha ngoba sezafundiswa izindlela ezingawucitsha ngayo.