The black smoke from the fire at the scrapyard on the outskirts has once again brought an uncomfortable reality to the table: we allow mountains of hazardous waste to coexist with homes without real control. Authorities appear when the fire burns, but are conspicuously absent in the prevention phase. Demanding mandatory safety plans and moving these businesses away from residential areas is not an option, it is a basic necessity for neighborhood health.
Sensors and drones: technology to prevent the next fire 🔥
Current technology allows real-time monitoring of temperature and gases in accumulations of scrap and waste. Low-cost IoT sensors can send alerts in the event of thermal spikes, while drones with thermal cameras periodically fly over the site to detect hot spots. Implementing these systems, along with perimeter firebreaks and auditable emergency protocols, would reduce the risk. However, investment in prevention remains the great pending issue in the face of the urgency of putting out the fire.
The smoke doesn't smell like prevention, it smells like last-minute politics 😷
It seems the official strategy is to wait for everything to burn down before taking action. It's as if firefighters only existed to put out fires, but forgot they also know how to check a fire extinguisher. While neighbors cough and close windows, those in charge ask for calm and promise studies. With any luck, by the time they finish the report, the next scrapyard will already be burning. At least the smell of burnt plastic is unmistakable and doesn't need a study.