Institutional Capacity and the Roles of Key Actors in Fire Disaster Risk Reduction: The Case of Ibadan, Nigeria

Inefficient and ineffective fire management practices are common to most urban areas of developing countries.Nigerian cities are typical examples of high vulnerability and low preparedness level for fire disaster.This study examined the institutional framework for fire disaster risk reduction(FDRR) and explored the roles of key actors in fire disaster preparedness in Ibadan,a large traditional city in Nigeria.The study was anchored on the concept of urban governance.A case study research design was adopted using primary and secondary data.Primary data were obtained through field observation aided by a structured checklist and key informant interview.Interviews were conducted on key officials of the major organs for FDRR-Oyo State Fire Service(OSFS) and Oyo State Emergency Management Agency(OYSEMA).The study identified a disjointed and fragmented approach to fire management.Matters relating to fire risk reduction and disaster recovery were domiciled under the OYSEMA,while emergency response to fire disasters was the prerogative of the OSFS.The results show that only five out of 11 local government areas had public fire stations;only three fire stations had an on-site water supply;three fire stations lacked firefighting vehicles;and distribution of fire stations and facilities was uneven.Two fire stations responded to 80% of all fire cases in 12 years.The study concluded that the institutional structure and resources for fire risk reduction was more empowered to respond to fire disaster,rather than facilitating preparedness capacity to reduce disaster risk.

Experimental study on performance that carbon dioxide inhibits coal oxidation and spontaneous combustion

Adopting oil-bath temperature programming experiment and gas chromatography, CO2＇s inhibitory performance on spontaneous combustion of Tingnan Coal Mine sample was analyzed. Through temperature rise rate test experiment, the accuracy, stability and reliability of the improved oil-bath temperature programming system applied in this experiment was proved to be superior to the traditional system. Spontaneous combustion characters parameters test of coal sample in pure air was carried out with this system and offered comparison standard for research in next stage. Temperature programming to coal sample was further conducted in oil-bath with different concentration of CO2. Testing results are compared with parameters of concentration of CO, O2, temperature, CO generation rate and O2 consumption rate tested and calculated in previous experiment in pure air. Methods of proportioning between concentration of CO and O2, CO concentration and temperature, CO generation rate and O2 consumption rate were applied to eliminate obstructions from certain external factors such as inlet of CO2; meanwhile influences of CO2 of different concentrations to coal oxidation and spontaneous combustion were investigated. Also CO2 inhibition technique was used in spontaneous combustion prevention in workface No. 106 of Tingnan Coal Mine, data collected from which indicate that CO2 performs well in inhibiting coal oxidation and spontaneous combustion.