By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has disclosed that the country recorded a total of 2,845 fire incidents in 2021, leading to a loss of N3 trillion.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, while decorating the newly-promoted Deputy Controllers-General (DCGs) of the Federal Fire Service (FFS).
He said that the FFS saved properties worth N18.9 trillion, 587 lives and rescued 260 persons from raging fire, while the service responded to 2,845 SOS distress calls.
“In sum, the stock of the FSS has grown in leaps and bounds as the agency has contributed significantly to national security in the protection of lives and property,” he said.
Mr Aregbesola noted that the reason for achieving such a feat was because between 2015 and now, the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari committed more resources into the agency compared to since its creation in 1901.
“The attention and resources devoted by the Buhari administration since 2015 are more than whatever has been put into it since its establishment in 1901.
“Between 2015 and 2020, the federal government provided 106 modern firefighting trucks to the service.
“In 2021, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) also approved the procurement of having some equipment and have since been procured and deployed.
“N10.4 billion infrastructure upgrade comprising of 44 firefighting engines, 15 water tankers, 15 rapid intervention fire engines (not conventional ones) that can go into the nooks and crannies to respond to distress-calls and 20 basic life support ambulances,” he said.
He also said that 17 firefighting officers were sent to Belarus for an advanced trainer-training course.
These officers, he said, are the master trainers that will be training other officers on modern firefighting, disaster and emergency management.
The Minister commended the immediate past Controller-General of the service, Mr Liman Ibrahim, for his visionary leadership and invaluable contribution to the service, saying he will miss working with him.
“I must not fail to commend and thank the erstwhile C-G, for his innovation, industry and perspicacity. He is the human instrument of the revolutionary changes at the FSS.
“His capacity to grasp issues and policies and make them actionable is legendary. I will miss working with him. I thank him for his invaluable services to the nation through the FSS.
“I pray that he will be happy and fulfilled in retirement and have resounding success in his endeavours,” Mr Aregbesola added.
He also condemned the rising incidents of criminals, hoodlums and touts who indulge in attacking firemen and their equipment while attending to fire emergencies.
He, however, noted that the service had now developed the capacity to effectively contain and deter them.
Modupe Gbadeyanka