By KELECHI OGUNLEYE

Mr Liman Ibrahim, the Controller-General, Federal Fire Service, says it plans to acquire firefighting helicopters to help in the fight of fire outbreaks.

Liman stated this during the commissioning of a newly renovated Federal Fire Service, Zone G Command on Thursday in Minna, Niger.

Ibrahim further revealed that senior management members of the service were set to travel to Belarus soon to engage the manufacturers of firefighting helicopters.

“We are leaving the country on March 5 to Belarus to engage the manufacturers on procurement of this helicopter,” he said.

He said that the team would also discuss the possibility of acquiring additional hydronic platforms for high-rise buildings firefighting and training of fire instructors and investigators for the newly established training schools in states.

“We have taken delivery of one hydronic truck which can extend to 18 floors.

“Our special crew for the truck are presently undergoing training to master the operation because it is purely hydronic.

“When the vehicle is commissioned it would be stationed in Lagos and when we purchase another it would be stationed in Abuja,” he said.

According to him, the agency has received requests from state governments asking for fire investigations on fire outbreaks in their state.

“It is our statutory duty and we will continue to do it to partner with states.

“The state governments are advised to engage the federal and state fire services to see how we can come together to make markets free from fire outbreaks.

“We are facing the challenge of market fires and the solution is political will,” he said.

Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger said the renovation of the station would help to improve the self-confidence of firefighters in the state.

The governor, represented by Mr Ibrahim Matane, Secretary to the State Government, appreciated the service for the training and retraining of firefighters in the state for better service delivery.

“The Niger government has been proactive in engaging its people on fire preventive measures so we can have less fire outbreaks through prevention instead of the reactionary approach,” he said.

The service Zonal Controller in Minna, Mr Ahmad Gana, said that before the renovation of the state command, the office was unkept and not appealing to staff but grateful for the remodeling.

“Before the renovation of this station, most workers disliked being at the office to work because the environment was not friendly but with the new amenities in place, staff now crave for their work duty days,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Federal Fire Service has 12 zones.

Minna Federal Fire Service is the headquarters of Zone G which comprised Kogi, Niger and Kwara. (NAN)

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