The federal government has commissioned six firefighting trucks and 15 Ford Rapid Response vehicles as part of efforts to reduce lost of lives and property across the country.
Speaking Wednesday in Abuja during the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, 2hile commissioning the new equipment said the Federal Fire Service (FFS) will soon play a major role in the Nation’s national development when the bill on fire and rescue service is assented to.
The minister, who commended efforts of the FFS, said the country cannot continue be nonchalant to the issues of fire disasters resulting into lost of lives and property annually.
Tunji-Ojo said: “For any country to attain its potentials, fire serve cannot be relegated. I say this to the FFS, you are a sleeping giant. The time to wake up is now.
“There is a direct correlation between sophistication, industrialization and fire service because the more you grow as an economy, the more you need to expand the coast of your fire service. Fire service is directly related to development in any nation.
“As an individual, I believe that the FFS should be the major employer of labour in Nigeria. All we need to do is put on our thinking caps. It is time for the FFS to rise up to her responsibility which is not just about combating fire. It has to do even with forecasting dangers. We have to migrate from the era of corrective activities to the era of being proactive which will lead us to preventive measures that can save us millions of Naira.
“Your strength lies in the decline of fire outbreaks and not the number of fires you fought within a period.
“Extinguishing fires, saving lives and property, rescuing people during accidents and protecting people on the event of other emergencies remained part of your responsibilities.”
He said the Federal Fire and Rescue Service will be expected to collect information across Nigeria and also take care of the health and safety of personnel.
“I need to have the full range of foreseeable fires, the areas and what we have to combat them. It is very important that this becomes your next line of action. As government agencies, we put in more efforts in solving problems rather than planning to prevent them.
“The FFS must work every closely with NSCDC for security cover. I understand the issues that our FFS men gave attacks when they go out on their legitimate duties but with the NSCDC providing such cover, such attacks will be reduced.”
On his part, the Controller General Federal Fire Service Engr Jaji O. Abdulganiyu, said the commissioning of the firefighting assets and subsequent deployment will position the Service for better service delivery while sending a signal to the general public of the administration’s commitment to protect lives and property.
“The Firefighting trucks and Rapid Response Vehicles will provide firemen ample opportunities for time-saving, professional and efficient firefighting and rescue operations across the country.
“The manoeuvrability and tractive force coupled with the modern-tech -firefighting tools built into the automotive frame of the Ford RRV brings enhanced productivity to the field of efficient firefighting, search and rescue and robust Global Positioning System(GPS)/mapping and navigation. Speed and stability being assured, the RRV reduces response time significantly during fire calls as difficult terranes could be run much faster. Conventionally, the firefighting trucks are heavy duty in nature, used for large scale fire as the case may be.
“ Rapid Response Vehicles on the other hand will be used in our economic and social hubs to meet the exigencies of time, given that it is easier to manoeuvre. For example, our markets and public spaces today do not have access routes for firefighting trucks, hence the need for Rapid Response Vehicles cannot be overemphasized.”
