FEDERAL FIRE SERVICE TRAINS YOUNG NIGERIANS IN PRIMARY/SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RESPONDING AND COMBATING FIRE OUTBREAKS....Says Training Is A Continuous Exercise

Karebo Samson

"The essence of this programme was aimed at teaching children and the populace on how to respond to fire outbreaks in their homes and schools." Karebo.

.... Appeals to National Assembly members to help Nigeria and the Fire Service, by building one Fire Station each, as part of their Constituency projects."

In trying to combat the reoccurrences of fire outbreak across the country, the Federal Fire Service has commenced an awareness drive among pupils in primary and secondary schools.

This was the outcome of a One-Day sensitization training programme over the weekend, at the headquarters of the Federal Fire Service.

Speaking with journalists after the event, one of the participants advised parents especially those in residential buildings, offices and owners of motor vehicles, to endeavour to purchase and have ready, fire extinguishers in the case of an eventual fire outbreak.

The One-Day event, with the theme; “Emergency Response Training for Young People” was held at the Headquarters of the Federal Fire Service in Abuja, on Saturday, 29 January 2022.

Karebo Samson Perebowei, Acting Comptroller General of the Federal Fire Service, FFS, while responding to questions from journalists as to the essence for the training, noted that, “as a Fireman, we are realists as the profession is about fire fighting as one does not fight imaginary fires.” He said.

He disclosed that Nigerians have not been properly schooled either in the home, offices, churches, mosques or even on the roads, on how to prevent and fight fires.

He noted that the essence of this programme was aimed at teaching children and the populace on how to respond to fire outbreaks in their homes and schools.

Tasked on why children were the target audience for the training, Kerebo stressed that, “as adults, our reactions and comments whenever we see fire fighters, has always been poor but, children have a particular attitude and catchy approach that sinks deep into your soul and make same become a sing song voice inside of you.” he said.

“We chose to apply this approach as it would enable us talk to ourselves on we can save Nigeria’s economy which is daily affected by outbreaks of fire in our environment and this has, therefore, necessitated the introduction of the ‘Fire Service Children’.

“With this, we can help the society and also, appreciate the efforts of Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR when he said we are going to the next level. Mr. President was talking about the Federal Fire Service because; he has taken us to another level altogether. It has not always been like this. It has never been like this.”

“Before the coming on board of this administration, we had only three functional vehicles in Lagos and Abuja. I stand to be corrected by anyone with the facts to say that this statement is wrong.

“Presently, in our fleet today, we have over two hundred vehicles spread across the 36 states and the FCT in nigeria and it is our belief that before the end of next year, we will have very strong presence across the country.” he revealed.

Reacting to questions bordering on increased cases and fire incidences and the emergency responses of the Service, Kerebo stressed that, “our basic response to the people is, saving of lives, prevention of destruction of properties by fire and performing such other humanitarian activities and these are beyond the scope of the average Nigerians.

“Our response to emergency calls depends on where we are coming from at that particular hour to such a scene. Distance of the nearest Fire Station is a determinant to the response time of our personnel.” He said.

He appealed to young Nigerians including the elderly to contact the Fire Service early in order for the team to respond on time to combat outbreaks of fire in their communities.

Kerebo gave instances of recent outbreaks, their locations and the distance between these happenings and the nearest Fire station, which, in many instances, are several kilometres apart. This, he said, is the challenge of the service and appealed to Nigerians to understand some of these encumbrances and not for them to turn their anger on the Service or its personnel, as it is counterproductive.

He enjoined Nigerians to exercise restraints as he called on parents to educate their children and wards, even as he drew the attention of the children to the state of things, as it could be them tomorrow adorning the uniform of the FFS.

He further appealed that the task before the FFS is to save lives and the economy of the nation but stressed that the economy of Nigeria will not grow when citizens destroy brand new fire fighting trucks purchased with taxpayers’ monies.

“It is your money and the economy of the country that ends up being destroyed and as such. I hereby appeal to parents, elders to speak to their children to please, leave the firefighters alone while carrying out their legitimate and lawful duties.

“Please, allow fire fighters the right of way on the road.” He appealed.

Tasked on the number of children the Service intends to train and if the Service intends to take this drive to states, Kerebo Samson disclosed that the focus is to go to the schools because, it would be unthinkable to have all nigeria children come to the Federal Fire Service headquarters in the FCT for us to train them.

“We are opening a programme as we are going back to the schools. By this, we want to ask the Federal Ministry of Education to look at the curriculum of the schools which we will give to them concerning ‘Safety and safety Regulations and, if it is good by their own vetting standards, they can incorporate it and make it official.

“We are also appeal to the members of the National Assembly to join us in saving the economy of this country; as a responsibility to the people, help the Fire Service to build at least, one fire station as part of their constituency projects. If the 109 senators of the National Assembly undertake such, that means we would now have 109 fire stations added to the already number in existence, today.

“If the members of the Federal House of Representatives adopt a similar approach, that would greatly increase the total number of fire fighting stations in the country which, in the long run, shorten the response time of the Fire Service.” Kerebo stated.

Speaking on the fire safety code, in line with the training provided as it relates to fire extinguisher, its enforcement for buildings, availability and affordability, the Acting Comptroller General noted that, all of these issues boils down to the people themselves.

“Our mindset, as a people is of paramount importance, to issues. We must also, understand we need to populate our nominal role, considering the fact that, of the population as country, we have just about 6,100 personnel in the fire fighting service and therefore, require more hands, as staff of the Fire Service especially as it relates to the enforcement drive. We need more people to join the Fire Service so that we can enforce the stipulations in the fire safety code.”

The Acting Comptroller General in his conclusion, further disclosed that his service responded to over two thousand five hundred distress call wherein, 136 lives were unfortunately lost with properties worth over #3 trillion lost.

However, the FFS was able to save the lives of over 580 persons, rescued another 260 with properties worth over #18.9 trillion naira saved in the process.