The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service has come out to disclose that it has been able to save 85 lives and over four billion naira worth of property from January to September 2022, against 190 lives and over six billion Naira worth of property in the nation’s capital recorded by the service in 2021.
The acting Controller of FCT Fire Service, Engr. Sani Saidu disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, during a briefing with newsmen in his office in Asokoro, Abuja.
According to him, the reduction in the number of lives and property saved from fire incidences between 2021 and 2022 is a result of intense sensitization by the Fire Protection Unit across all 15 fire stations in Abuja.
He also stated that the FCT Fire Service is not panicking because harmattan, a period associated with the increased rate of fire outbreaks is around.
He stated that the Fire Service has repaired vehicles that were broken down, about thirty-two fire fighting types of equipment, seven water tankers and four ambulances are on standby to counter any eventuality of fire outbreak.
He said: “We know every harmattan is associated with increased fire outbreak, so if you go to all our stations now, you will see that they are prepared, you will see that all the vehicles that have been broken down, we repair and put them into proper use, to get ready for the harmattan.
“We have about thirty-two fire fighting types of equipment, we have about seven water tankers, then have about four ambulances, if we are responding to a fire outbreak and there are no water tankers there we call the nearest station, we are not panicking, but we are only advising people to be careful to prevent loss of lives and property.
“Some of our people spend up to 150 million naira to buy a car but can not spend ten thousand naira on a 2kg fire extinguisher, when there is an electrical fault in their vehicle before people come to render help, the vehicle is burnt and gone, before they call us, fire is a hopeless situation, before we go there much damage must have been done because the vehicle is moving with fuel.” He stated.
When asked about the situation of the staff of the Fire Service since the fire fighting has a lot of hazards, he stated that the Fire Service has maintained zero rates since its inception.
“We have what is called life insurance but thank God we have not experienced that since we started, since we have been rejuvenated in 2002, we have never experienced such, FCTA is ever ready to support us, but it has never happened, and we pray for it not to happen.
“We have not reached a complete city like the ones experienced in developed countries, we are still coming up, anybody that has lost his life in the course of fire fighting instantly, we have not experienced that.
“We are doing our possible best not to experience that, by buying breathing apparatus for our operational staff, and getting assault gears that are well kited, if you have proper assault gear on you, if there is fire here, you can enter inside. We have obtained training and more training is coming to equip our firemen”, he stated.
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