Federal Fire service set to buy firefighting helicopters

The Federal Fire Service plans to acquire firefighting helicopters to help in the fight of fire outbreaks.

Controller-General of the service, Mr Liman Ibrahim, stated this during the inauguration of a renovated the Zone G Command of the organisation on Thursday in Minna, Niger State. Ibrahim also said some senior officers of the service were set to travel to Belarus to discuss with the manufacturers of firefighting helicopters on the purchase.

“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 hydraulic platforms for high-rise buildings firefighting and training of fire instructors and investigators for the newly established training schools in states.

The fire service CG said, “We have taken delivery of one hydraulic truck which can extend to 18 floors. Our special crew for the truck is presently undergoing training to master the operation because it is purely hydraul”ic.

“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. Ibrahim said, “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.”

Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State 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 service Zonal Controller in Minna,  Mr Ahmad Gana, said that before the renovation of the state command, the office was unkempt.

“Before the renovation of this station, most workers disliked being at the office to work because the environment was not friendly.”