Federal Fire Service to embark on disaster forecasts

…as FG directs NSCDC to provide armed cover for firefighters

By Ukpono Ukpong

The Federal Fire Service has been charged to go beyond firefighting to disaster forecasting and prevention.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the charge yesterday in Abuja, while commissioning 15 Ford Built Rapid Response Vehicles and six Firefighting trucks.

He also said that the scope of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), would soon be expanded once the Federal Fire and Rescue Service Bill gets the necessary legislative backing and consequent presidential assent.

Speaking further, the minister also ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC to provide armed cover for firefighters who had often come under increasing attacks by hoodlums during operations.

“The Federal Fire Service, very soon when the bill on fire and rescue service is assented to, will play major role in our national development.

“For any country to attain its potentials, fire service cannot be relegated. I say this to the FFS, 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.

“For us as a people, we cannot continue to pay lip service or nonchalant attitude to the issue of fire. 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 fires. 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 billions of Naira.

“Your strength lies in the decline of fire outbreaks and not in the number of fires you fought within a period. Yes, extinguishing fires, saving lives and property, rescuing people during accidents and protecting people in the event of other emergencies remained part of your responsibilities.

“The Federal Fire and Rescue Service will be expected to collect information across Nigeria and also take care of the health and safety of your 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 very closely with NSCDC for security cover. I understand the issues that our FFS men have come under attacks when they go out on their legitimate duties but with the NSCDC providing a cover, such attacks will be reduced.

“Also, we want your training centres not just for your officials but we want all buildings with more than 10 workers to have fire rescue and safety officers among them. Timely intervention can save lives and billions of Naira”, he added.

Earlier, Controller General of Fire, Engr. Abudulganiyu Jaji said fire statistics in the first and second quarters of 2023 is a testimony to a truly re-engineered Service as records at the Data Repository Centre puts fire calls for the period at 1, 096, lives saved -111, successful rescues at 91 and total property saved at over N300 billion.

“The Fire Statistics reeled out will be better in the coming days, as today marks yet another important milestone in our country’s history as we are here to witness the commissioning of the state-of-the-art firefighting trucks and ford Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV). This is an incredible achievement and I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the team that made this possible.

“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”, he explained.