THE Federal Government has appealed to wealthy individuals, philanthropists, and corporate organisations to invest in the establishment of fire stations across the country, stressing that fire safety and emergency management must become a collective responsibility.

Controller General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Adeyemi Samuel Olumode, made the call on Thursday during a One-Day National Stakeholders’ Summit on Fire Safety in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “Building a Resilient Fire Service for the 21st Century,” Olumode stated that Nigeria urgently requires multiple strategically located fire stations to bring emergency response closer to communities and significantly reduce response times.

He cited the Offa Descendant Association, Oyo Town, Idanre, Bonny Island, and Kugbo fire stations as prime examples of community and individual investments in public safety. According to him, such gestures go beyond mere philanthropy; they are critical investments in the protection of lives and property.

The summit coincided with the Controller General’s one-year anniversary in office, providing an avenue to highlight recent operational milestones. He disclosed that the service had rehabilitated 40 firefighting appliances, procured two modern trucks, distributed over 2,000 personal protective gears, and deployed more than 700 newly trained cadet officers across various commands.

To tackle modern security challenges, Olumode noted that the FFS had partnered with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the armed forces for specialised counter-terrorism training.

A major highlight of the event was the induction of 37 FFS Public Relations Officers (PROs)—drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—into the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Describing the induction as a historic milestone, Olumode explained that it was a structured effort to professionalise the agency’s communications.

“Our PROs must understand strategic communication, crisis communication, media relations, and reputation management, particularly during emergencies,” he said.

The FFS boss lauded the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for collaborating on fire safety in tertiary institutions, and the Tony Elumelu Foundation for partnering on fire safety preparedness training for 7,740 Nigerians.

In his remarks, the President of the NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, stressed the importance of the newly trained officers in reinventing the agency’s image.

He pointed that “So much is being done now; what you require is to push these things out into the public.”

He noted that the recent categorisation of public relations as a distinct function within the Federal Civil Service provides a platform for the officers to steadily grow, defend, and project the service into the minds of Nigerians.

Neliaku further pledged the institute’s readiness to help the FFS develop a strategic reputation and communication management framework.

This, he explained, would include a digital dashboard to help the leadership monitor real-time strategic communications seamlessly, thereby avoiding ad hoc approaches.

In his remarks, the President of the NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, stressed the importance of the newly trained officers in reinventing the agency’s image.

He pointed that “So much is being done now; what you require is to push these things out into the public.”

He noted that the recent categorisation of public relations as a distinct function within the Federal Civil Service provides a platform for the officers to steadily grow, defend, and project the service into the minds of Nigerians.

Neliaku further pledged the institute’s readiness to help the FFS develop a strategic reputation and communication management framework.

This, he explained, would include a digital dashboard to help the leadership monitor real-time strategic communications seamlessly, thereby avoiding ad hoc approaches.