A fire and first aid training for domestic helpers is currently being pushed in the UAE to educate household service workers (HSWs) on how to react in times of emergencies at home.
The City Safe Consulting and Training Centre and Umm Al Quwain Civil Defence are seeking to provide 1,000 domestic workers in the emirate with free first-aid and fire-safety training teaching them how to respond in emergency situations at home, reported The National.
“Many parents leave their children with nannies, and being equipped with information on how to deal with, for example, a stove that has caught fire or to be able to save a choking child is very important and can save lives if done properly,” said Maher Qandil, managing director of the centre.
The training will be a three-hour course available in three languages – Arabic, English and Urdu.
Annie Browne, chief executive of HSS Health and Safety Solutions in Dubai said that many domestic helpers come from countries where proper training before deployment is not mandatory.
Some employers and officials said that some domestic helpers do not know how to use gas stoves and are unaware of the phone numbers they should call during emergency situations.
A considerable number of nannies are also reportedly unable to swim despite being tasked to look after children who are swimming at villas or their homes.
“Having the knowledge and competence to perform effective first aid can prevent a disaster … having fire-safety knowledge and knowing what to do if a fire breaks out in the home could prevent a catastrophe,” said Browne.
