Fire training was provided this month to more than 150 employees of The Palace, a five-star hotel in Sliema. The training was provided by the Hal Far-based International Safety Training College, which offers bespoke safety training for companies and organisations. Managers, bar attendants, waiters and housekeepers were all taught how to handle fire situations, primarily through the use of fire blankets, and a variety of fire extinguishers - foam, dry powder, CO2 and water. They were also trained in fire evacuation. “We created tailor-made sessions for the employees where we blended theory with practice. We taught them about the chemistry of fire and then created fire simulations to give them the chance to use items like fire blankets and fire extinguishers,” said the Head of Operations Andy Gilravey. “Unfortunately fire safety is often overlooked in Malta and although many companies and organisations are equipped with fire extinguishers, these often go unnoticed and unmaintained. Worse still, people are rarely given the opportunity to actually handle a fire extinguisher, so when an emergency actually strikes, they might not know what to do and could even hurt themselves,” he added. The training, which took place at The Palace itself, was provided in groups of 30 throughout five days, ensuring that each employee had the hands-on training required.