invest in fire ops, councils ordered
Published On May 4, 2015 » 2245 Views» By Administrator Times » Latest News, Stories
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.PHIRI

.PHIRI

By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

GOVERNMENT has directed local authorities to plough back at least 50 per cent of fees collected from fire certificates to fire fighting and rescue service operations.
Local Government and Housing Minister John Phiri said there was need to support the fire officers to efficiently serve the communities.
Dr Phiri made the directive yesterday when he graced the commemoration of the International Fire Fighters’ Day held in Kitwe at Cricket Club under the theme ‘Fire services and community participation in emergencies: a must for quick response’.
The minister was saddened that a number of marketeers had lost their hard-earned investment to fire accidents.
Citing Chisokone Market which has on a number of occasions been experiencing fire outbreaks, Dr Phiri said properties and goods worth millions of Kwacha acquired over a long period of hard work and sacrifice, had been lost in infernos within few hours.
Government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, has embarked on a programme of decentralising the provision of fire and rescue services by constructing fire stations in selected districts and sub-districts in order to take the provision of services closer to the communities.
“I, therefore, urge all local authorities to prioritise the construction of fire brigades in their national plans and budgets in order to realise this national vision of decentralising the fire services,” Dr Phiri said.
Dr Phiri further directed local authorities and water utility companies to facilitate the provision of functioning fire hydrants stressing that it should be appreciated that water to fire officers was like what a gun was to a soldier.
He also directed those charged with the responsibility of procuring fire engines to procure appropriate fire engines which were fitted with water tanks.
Dr Phiri assured of Government’s commitment to conclude the formulation and finalisation of the National Fire Policy by 2016 as this was one of the targets for his ministry.
Fire Services Union of Zambia president Billings Chanda bemoaned the lack of investment in the fire sector by Government.
Mr Chanda said the fire sector was the least developed and yet it was a critical sector as it guaranteed security to investment.
He said more stakeholders should come on board and invest in the sector.

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