Expert harps on implementation of safety regulation, standardisation in firefighting

A fire and disaster management expert, Mr Virgil Akama, has called for the implementation of proper safety regulations and standards in firefighting in Nigeria.

Akama, the Managing Director, Assetbow Limited, in an interview with Tribune Online in Abuja, said the implementation of proper safety regulations and standards was necessary as it would ensure better coordination and synergy in firefighting in the country.

“As we all know, the standards are not the same and we look forward to a nation with firefighting capabilities as obtained internationally. We all know that the current situation of firefighting in the country is not yet where it ought to be especially in the area of regulation.”

He, however, said there was a need for synergy and better inter-agency collaborative efforts in the area of firefighting while adding that if procedures are properly adopted, it would make a perfect scenario for more lives and property to be saved.

“In terms of multi-agency response, we want to see a response that is properly synergised, coordinated, efficient, effective, hence, save more lives and property.”

According to him, firefighting in Nigeria has not been effective to the point where citizens are confident in firefighters during fire emergencies.

“When there is a fire situation that involves lives, can Nigerians beat their chests so that it would be effectively and efficiently managed? Where there are inter-agency responses, it is chaos, most times it is not coordinated and there are situations where who is in charge is not glaring.”

Akama also called for citizens’ reorientation on firefighting which he said was very important.

“The citizens of this country are not well educated as to how the fire service operates and I think it’s a matter of re-orientation of the populace. The fire service personnel are not doing themselves any good not even trying to educate the public about their jobs and that’s the reason why sometimes they get to a fire scene and can’t do anything.

“No two fire incidents are exactly alike and there are very different items and mediums used to fight different types of fires and the public must be aware of this,” Akama said.

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