The Chief Federal Fire Fighter in Rivers, Mr Abdulahi Alfa, has expressed concern over the attitude of some residents who regard fire fighters as enemies and in some situations, blame them for fire outbreaks.
Alfa expressed the concern when the South-South Zonal Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Godwin Tepikor, paid him a courtesy call in Port Harcourt on Friday.
“Let the residents see us as emergency managers and servants rendering assistance to them. They should treat us as friends and not foes.
“Let all forms of attacks on fire fighters and vandalisation of firefighting equipment cease because it has posed a great challenge to our response effort to fire emergencies in the state,” he lamented.
Alfa called on the general public to cooperate with emergency managers to minimise the spate of fire outbreaks in the state.
He appreciated the NEMA team for the visit and assured that the fire service, as the lead agency in fire emergencies, would continue with the existing collaboration.
Tepikor said the agency would organise awareness campaign to curb incessant fire outbreaks in Rivers.
He saiid that the sensitisation and awareness campaign was necessary to stem the unusual occurrence of fire outbreaks as witnessed in the state.
According to Tepikor, the visit is to further cement the existing collaboration between NEMA and the federal fire service in the zone and invite them for their programmes.
“It is also to formally invite the Command to be part the fire sensitization/awareness campaign in the zone, to stem the spate of fire outbreaks in Rivers,” he said.
The NEMA zonal coordinator and his team used the opportunity to assess the firefighting equipment of the command.
He commended the fire service for its state of preparedness to respond to fire emergencies as the dry season sets in. (NAN)