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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Fighting Fire With Bare Hands
THE distress call was received in good time that morning in 1998. But it took more than an hour for the first fire-fighting vehicle to arrive at the Lagos City Hall, the scene of a fire incident. The distance between the hall, which served as the Lagos Island Secretariat and the former corporate headquarters of the Federal Fire Service, was about 500 metres. Even on arrival, futile efforts were made at putting out the fire due to dysfunctional equipment.
When two years earlier, there was a similar fire outbreak at the Great Nigerian House, also in the central Lagos, the fire fighters' answer to the enigma was in record time, though the same lack of equipment made nonsense of that response. The fire equipment could only reach the fifth floor of the 12-storey office block.
It has been quite a while since the two incidents took place, but there is nothing to show that there has been any remarkable change in the approach and achievement of the service, both at the federal and state levels.
"It cannot be true to say that fire fighters in this country do not have solution to fire incidents; rather it will be fair to say that they are ill-equipped and ill-motivated for that risky job." This was how Mr. Olumide Oladimeji, a retired fire service officer explained the wrong impression that public has of men of the fire service in the country.
While describing his era as a fire fighter as the "old generation," having been employed by the post-colonial administration, Oladimeji said that there are no indications that there has been a remarkable change from what his period had.
Based on the complaints and the excuses that fire fighters reel out each time they are caught flat-footed over fighting fire outbreaks, Oladimeji could not have been faulted in his assessment of the situation. The decay in the fire service is as old as its creation. Though it could boast of doing something worth the effort to contend fires, poor motivation of staff and obsolete working tools have not allowed the public to appreciate the workers' efforts so far.
Recently, a group of the fire fighters drew attention of the public and the government to the dire need to review the officers' hazard monthly allowance of N10 that in today economy Nigeria can only buy a box of matches.
The Ministry of Works and Housing, which supervises the Department of Fire Service, was quick to state that there were moves to amend the Government Order (GO), responsible for the unrealistic allowance. The public is not amused by that explanation; and not a few of the fire fighters disagreed with the government position. Though they have stopped giving lurid accounts of how they are sent to fight fire literally with bare hands, a cross section of the officers told The Guardian that "the various governments are paying lips service to the issue of fire service in this country."
But Mr. Ola Okunbanjo, director of Lagos State government Fire and Safety Services said the state is doing enough to enhance the condition of the service and supply needs of his men on the field; a claim faulted by some of his subordinates.
"Our own organisation, saddled with fire and safety responsibilities, cannot do without having its own problem as well. We pray for more fire stations in different local government areas; we pray for more fire fighting vehicles and equipment; we also pray for other necessary facilities that will enhance fire fighting. I wish and pray that all these will come," the director said.
On how the public could benefit from the various arms of fire service in Lagos in particular, Okunbanjo maintained that there are enough fire stations in the state. The fire units include those of the Airports Authority, Julius Berger and the federal and state services. "Most times, Lagos fire service goes outside the state to assist other states like Oyo, Osun on fire fighting exercise," he said.
Admitting that the state's fire-fighting equipment, capable of fighting fire up to twenty-two storeys, is now defective, he assured that "but arrangement is already at an advanced stage to have it repaired."
But despite the credit the state government might have recorded in assisting fire fighting, it is not free from the blame of paying N10 a month as a hazardous allowance to its fire staff.
Lagos State reportedly records an average of 43 fire incidents monthly, a factor the director attributed to the state's peculiar nature.
While state fire services workers regard themselves as the worst treated workforce in the country, the various states could beat the chest for putting in place some semblance of modern fire fighting facilities, compared with what the federal government has. Of course, in Abuja, there are some state of the art fire fighting equipment. Still, the same cannot be said of the prostrate condition of fire departments in most states, which the same federal government should maintain.
Mr. Godwin Duruaku is an insurance broker, who has handled some claims over torched buildings. He reasoned that the law establishing fire service in the country makes it a compulsory for the federal government to establish a fire unit in each state until in recent time when it was made a concurrent list in the Constitution. He said there was no justification for the government to ignore the department in a state like Lagos.
"There are even some states that don't have any presence of the federal fire service," he noted as stressed that it "is immoral to pay N10 a month as hazardous allowance at this age."
But Mr. Elechi Collins, the public relations officer of the Federal Fire Service, Ikoyi headquarters, Lagos, said that "it is not correct to say that there is a deliberate attempt by the government to ignore fire fighting." He explained that given the neglect that the service had suffered in the past, it would be unexpected to have complaints from both the workers and the public on the performance of the service.
Collins, however, submitted that unless the fire service was adequately funded and accorded the desired attention, efforts to fight fires and protect life and property would continue to be a mirage. He revealed that it is becoming increasingly tasking to fight fire when the equipment is in a bad state. Urging fire fighters to do their best any time that a fire incident is reported, Elechi observed that "but their best can become perfect if given the necessary equipment to work with."
Such facilities include SS 300 and SS 600, special equipment mainly for fighting fire on high-rise buildings. He emphasised that without these, it would be difficult to fight fire from its source and at the top where the firemen must gain height. Also required are fire kits, made up of protective gears, rubber boots, rescue vehicles, breathing apparatus to assist when lives are in danger.
Collins stated that fire fighting involves rendering some voluntary services, like during plane crash into the sea, ship capsizing and motor accidents. He regretted that the public that should be playing some complementary roles to assist fire service is not forthcoming. "The fire fighters are not only responsible for saving government property, but also that of the general public. Therefore, the public have some obligatory services, which they could render to the fire service to help them carry out their job effectively."
According to him, unlike officers in sister organisations like the Police and the Military that receive good treatment from both the government and the public, fire fighters are usually left to face the hard times, despite endangering their lives to save life and property.
"Fire Service officers are treated like lepers. Nobody wants or wishes to embrace us in spite of the risk. Without the services of the fire fighters, more lives and property would be lost during a fire outbreak. And in the end, we are ignored and despised," he lamented.
As a way out, Collins implored public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies to find a way of appreciating the efforts of those, who strive to save their lives and property during fire outbreaks. "At least to create the impression that the public still recognise our efforts, fire service should be regarded as a pillar of the economy."
On the psychological implication of a fireman receiving a paltry sum as a monthly risk allowance, Collins said: "Despite all we pass through, we are still paid N10 for hazard allowance, which cannot even buy a sachet of paracetamol. This is bad."
He emphasised that the nature of their job is very demanding and as result, they need the necessary resources to be effective. During any fire outbreak, it is the watchword of fighters that fire should not get out of the confinement. This, Collins disclosed, had been achieved over the years and "we have not for once fought any fire that exceeded our power." He recommended that the fire fighters be well trained to compete with professional fire fighters in the world.
He said water shortage was no longer posing problem. "After each operation, they (firemen) refill their tank vehicles to the brim ready for anther operation," he assured.
Collins noted that traffic jams during any operation and false alarm by miscreants were some of the problems that militate against effective fire fighting. He said stated that even with their siren, the public do not give them way, which delays their arrival at a fire spot.
He called for public enlightenment on the necessity of saving lives "so that the public will give way whenever they notice a fire service truck in a traffic jam. "This would make our job more efficient if the public co-operate with us by clearing the road in emergency," he said.
Mr Babatunde Omoniyi, a businessman and a witness of a recent fire incident, recalled when the firemen finally got to the scene, their excuse was that they were held up in traffic.
Mr Gafar Ajao, a staff of the fire service, argued that providing the equipment was not enough; but that "there is also the need to train the firemen generally and in modern techniques of utilising sophisticated equipment. This will help firemen physically and mentally."
Mr Seun Davies of the Ijora fire service identified the problem of converting residential places into factories as a problem in fighting fire. According to him, the law has made provisions for the availability of specified fire extinguishers as a matter of compulsion. "But are these fire extinguishers being removed and recharged as stipulated?" he queried.
However, Mr Elechi Collins further urged the government to budget adequately for fire fighting. He said the government should ensure that the firemen are equipped to face any challenge. Though, they have been doing their best, the provision of modern equipment will help facilitate and make effective their job which is to rescue lives and properties from various accidents that may come by.
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