The residents of Nahr al-Bared Camp in northern Lebanon face increasing daily risks due to the absence of any fire station inside the camp, in addition to fragile infrastructure, high population density, widespread unsafe electrical wiring, and the use of hazardous energy sources. These risks intensify during winter or dry seasons, when residents face major challenges in responding to emergencies.

Even a minor fire incident can turn into a real disaster threatening lives and property. This reality creates a constant state of fear and instability among residents, who live under continuous threat of losing their homes or exposing children and the elderly to risks of suffocation or burns, especially given the narrow alleys and closely packed housing that make evacuation difficult.

The recurrence of such incidents also leads to severe material losses that exceed families’ ability to recover, amid difficult economic conditions and the absence of any official compensation or alternative housing solutions.

This project comes as a direct response to these urgent needs through the purchase and equipping of a fire truck and the formation of a local firefighting team composed of five volunteers from within the camp. The team will be capable of rapid intervention during the critical first minutes to extinguish fires, which is the decisive phase in reducing human and material losses. The presence of a local team also enhances response speed and benefits from their precise knowledge of the camp’s geography and quick access to densely populated areas.

Beyond its practical role, the project strengthens residents’ sense of safety and psychological stability, restores confidence in the existence of a community-based protection system capable of handling emergencies, and contributes to spreading a culture of fire safety and prevention within the camp. Through training and awareness, it also helps reduce the recurrence of incidents in the future.

2. Project Objectives

• Protect lives and property and provide protection from fires and other disasters within the community.
• Improve early response by building a team capable of quickly reaching incident sites and effectively controlling fires.
• Provide comprehensive and high-quality training for the firefighting team.
• Enhance safety awareness on how to prevent and properly respond to fires.
• Strengthen social responsibility and solidarity among community members.

3. Target Group

Palestinian refugees in Nahr al-Bared Camp – Tripoli – North Lebanon.

4. Implementation Duration

8 weeks (two months).

5. Project Justifications

• Multiple crises in Lebanon:
  • Rising levels of risks and security threats in the area.
  • The likelihood of emergencies and disasters requiring rapid and efficient response.
• Weak firefighting infrastructure in camps:
  • Lack of modern firefighting and rescue equipment.
  • Limited trained personnel and expertise in this field.
• Ensuring protection:
  • Providing protection for lives and property from the risk of fires and other disasters.
  • The local team will serve as the primary line of defense against fire outbreaks.

6. Project Impact

• Protecting residents of Nahr al-Bared Camp, especially children and the elderly, from fire risks in the absence of any fire station.
• Reducing human and material losses caused by fires through rapid and effective response during the first critical minutes.
• Enhancing residents’ sense of safety and psychological stability, and reducing constant fear and anxiety.
• Raising the camp’s preparedness to deal with emergencies and disasters through a trained and equipped local firefighting team.
• Strengthening social cohesion and the spirit of cooperation among local community members.
• Spreading a culture of fire safety and prevention within the camp, contributing to reducing incident recurrence in the medium and long term.
• Enhancing the local community’s resilience and recovery capacity in the face of crises and disasters, in line with humanitarian principles and sustainable development goals.

7. Project Sustainability

• Advance planning and proper organization to ensure project continuity.
• Building partnerships with local organizations, relevant authorities, and the local community to strengthen cooperation.
• Providing continuous training for the camp’s firefighting team.
• Ongoing promotion of the project to ensure sustained support and development.

8. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil defense team in using the vehicle and equipment during emergencies.
• Conducting community surveys to measure satisfaction with civil defense services.
• Organizing periodic courses to assess volunteers’ competencies and retrain them when necessary.
• Reviewing maintenance and operation records to ensure the safety of equipment and vehicles.
• Preparing periodic reports for follow-up and taking corrective actions when needed.

9. Project Location

Nahr al-Bared Camp – Tripoli – North Lebanon.