*Unveils national fire simulation, drills room, others

To better position the Federal Fire Service, (FFS), deliver on it’s mandate of fire and other disaster emergency interventions, the Federal government said it is making plans to purchase firefighting aircraft to enable firemen fight large scale fires aerially.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this known at the unveiling the first ever modern Metropolitan Fire station yesterday in Kubwa, Abuja.

He said the station is the first among 13 approved by the federal government to be build across the federation in selected locations.

He explained that “The prime challenge of the Federal Fire Service is ensuring reduction in fire emergencies instead of firefighting, fire prevention instead of combating fires as well as fighting wildfires, bushfires and other large scale fires requiring aerial attacks.

“We have initiated an arrangement with the Nigeria Airforce to use their planes to waterbomb fires of that nature from the air. It is my sincere hope that the Service will see this through.

“Our attention should be in the acquisition of aircrafts that can carry large scale solution to bomb such large scale fire in the six geo-political zones of the country.”

According to him, the location of the metropolitan fire station is to ensure rapid response to emergencies in Kubwa and environs.

He adds, “This beautiful edifice housing the Metropolitan Fire Station is the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria. We have all gathered here today to commission one of the 13 Metropolitan Stations spread across the country and at various stages of completion.

“We can ensure reduction in fire emergencies through through advocacy and campaigns.”

Earlier, the minister while commissioning a National Fire Room at the National Fire Academy, Sheda, Abuja, noted that the fire Room is the heart and soul of every fire academy worth its salt.

“The firemen trained in this academy will have the best training to seve Nigerians because the service exists to serve Nigerians, it is not a force.

He pointed that the Fire House was one of the legacy projects of the current administration and that federal government’s investment in FFS under the current administration was more than what has been invested in the agency since its creation in 1901.

“It will be right to say that attention and resources devoted by the current Administration to the federal fire service since 2015 is more than whatever has been put into it since its establishment in 1901.

“As a matter of fact, some of the milestones achieved in the federal fire service are evidence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s unbending determination to fight insecurity by protecting lives and property from fire and other hazards,” he said.

Controller General, FFS, Abdulganiyu Jaji, said the agency will continue to render selfless service to the public taking advantage of the available training equipment.

“Today marks an important milestone in our country’s history as we witness the commissioning of the Firehouse at Sheda, completion and commissioning of the first of the 13 approved Metropolitan fire stations across the nation.

“This is an incredible achievement and I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the team that made this possible, but even more grateful most especially to the Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf who made it a reality.

The Metropolitan Fire Station here in Kubwa is a great asset to the local community and will help to reduce the risk of fire-related incidents, serve as a hub for fire services in the region, providing support and assistance to the local community and also act as a training center for fire personnel, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to protect lives and property”, he said.