By Editor
The Federal Capital Territory FCT Fire Service said it saved 85 lives and assets worth over N4 billion between January and September 2022.
This was as the service said it was fully prepared for the dey season and that it has begun sensitization of residents on safe practices regarding fires during the season.
Acting Director, FCT Fire Service, Engr. Sani Saidu disclosed this at the End of the year briefing organized by the FCT Minister's Press Corps for Secretariats, Departments and Agencies under the FCT Administration to x-ray their activities, achievements and challenges within the year under view.
Engr. Saidu added that the service also saved 190 lives and property worth over N6 billion in the 2021 alone.
According to him, the reduction in the lives and property saved from fire incidences between 2021 and 2022 is as a result of intense sensitization by the Fire Protection Unit across all the 15 fire stations in Abuja.
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 repaired and put them into proper use, to get ready for the harmattan.
"We have about 32 fire fighting equipments, we have about seven water tankers, then we 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 panicky but we are only advising people to be careful to prevent lose of lives and property.
"Some of our people spend up to N150 million to buy a car but cannot spend N10,000 on 2kg fire extinguisher, when there is 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.
On the safety and welfare of staff, Engr. Saidu said; "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.
He added that, his agency ensures that it responds to any fire call within five minutes.
Saidu reaffirmed the Service's commitment to supporting fire safety initiatives in schools, marketplaces, and public and private buildings in order to reduce the likelihood of a fire disaster in the FCT.
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