The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has put strategies on ground to reposition the FCT Fire Service on the path of improved service delivery and revenue generation.
Director of the service, Julius Opetunsin who stated this while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a retreat organised for management staff of the service in Karu, stated that the event would enable them go higher and perform their duties as expected of them.
Opetunsin also pointed out that while fire outbreak was almost impossible to stop, he was determined to refocus the efforts of the service on fire prevention and enforcement, instead of fire fighting.
He Said: “Once people know what to do to prevent fire outbreak, there will be reduction in the number of incidents.
“We want to ensure that each house has, at least, one fire extinguisher, among other fire gadgets.”
“Between January and March, 2020, FCT Fire Service responded to about 180 fire causes, but it has reduced drastically, so up to August ending, we responded to about 356 fire causes, without any casualty largely due to our prompt response.”
On the use of fire extinguishers, Opetunsin said: “Fire extinguishers are not difficult to use. It is a different thing to have a fire extinguisher and it is another thing to know how to use it.
“Before using it, you have to remove the safety pins, because if it is not removed, you will not be able to press the lever, after which you will push either the powder or carbon dioxide out of the cylinder, while directing the nozzle to the seat of the fire, you don’t fight the fire at the surface.
“Note that you only use a fire extinguisher at the initial stage of fire outbreak when the fire is small, you don’t use it when the fire is getting out of control. At that point, you call the fire service because there is a limit to what an individual can do. That is why it is necessary for you to have our control room numbers, which are 092906118 or 112, they will then contact the nearest station.”
He advised each home in the FCT to have a functional fire extinguisher, always put off electrical appliances and remove them from the socket if leaving offices and homes, even as he warned against prolonged use of air-conditioners.
Managing Director, Synergy Vista Concept Ltd, Mr. Ejimonu Charles who anchored the training stated that his firm was commissioned to reposition the FCT Fire Service to global standards.
