Federal Fire Service receives 12 trucks worth N2.2b

The Federal Fire Service says it has taken delivery of 12 modern firefighting trucks worth N2.2 billion at an estimated cost of N188.8 million each.

The Controller General, Federal Fire Service, Ibrahim Liman, disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin in an address at the 10th National Council on Fire Conference.

Liman said the service had also recruited and is training 2,200 firefighters and drivers to be deployed across the country to complement the effort of the state fire services in combating the menace.

He said that the collaboration of state governments was needed, especially in the provision of suitable land in areas in proximity to the hub of the state capitals.

He described the national council on fire conference as a priceless asset in curbing the spate of uncontrolled fires in the nation.

According to him, this year’s conference is tagged “Technology: An Imperative For Enhanced Service Delivery in the Fire Sector.

The controller said the increasing threat to lives, property and environment were responsible for the incapacity of the federal fire fighters in responding effectively to emergencies in the country.

The fire fighter boss noted that responding to fire fighting was no longer the only business of the fire service as it now engaged in rescue operations in incidents of collapsed buildings, flood disasters and other natural and man made disasters.

He however noted that technology was already being employed in enhancing the preparedness level of fire fighters as well as ensuring protection of personnel, equipment and appliances.

The Permanent Secretary, Kwara Ministry of Works and Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Manjo, said the conference was timely and would create awareness on the possible preventive mechanisms against the re-occurence of fire incidences.

He noted that fire awareness was low in the country and had been responsible for frequent fire incidents.

Manjo appealed to stakeholders and well meaning Nigerians to reach out to fire service whenever disasters happened.