Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked the Fire Service and Civil Defence to focus on boosting the capacity by engaging the common people in its operations.
“You should strengthen the disaster prevention system by raising public awareness, enhancing the capacity of the Fire Service and Civil Defence through greater involvement of the common people in its work,” she said. “This will also boost the morale of the members ”
The premier was addressing the opening ceremony of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) Week-2022, held at FSCD Training Complex in the city’s Mirpur-10 area, through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganabhaban.
The week is being observed throughout the country aiming to create mass awareness to prevent fire incidents and other natural and manmade disasters.
Hasina asked the FSCD members to keep these goals in mind while observing the fire service week 2022.
She said everyone should get fire safety training in a bid to protect their lives in case of fire incidents.
“I think it is very essential to impart training to all from their childhood –our children and housewives– over how to protect themselves in case of fire incidents,” she said.
Focusing on the actions implemented by her government to modernise the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the PM said, “We’ve been able to take the institution, which was once neglected, to a dignified position now in line with the demand of time.”
Sheikh Hasina said the government has improved the FSCD significantly in the last 14 years in terms of its service standard and safety and dignity of its members.
She said her government took different steps to make the firefighters as a time-befitting force and expand its services further. “We’ve taken measures to transform the fire service into an institute so that it would have full capacity and could deliver the highest services,” she said.
The PM said the implementation of her government’s commitment to set up at least a fire station in each upazila is going to be completed.
She said the government has taken initiative to set up Bangabandhu Fire Academy aiming at imparting high quality training to the firefighters. A total of 1,184 fire service officers and employees have so far given foreign training, she added.
The FSCD manpower was increased to 14,443 now from 6,175 ones in 2008, while the number of fire stations to 491 ones (from 204 ones in 2008). More 52 stations will be opened soon, she said, adding that the number of the stations would cross 700 when the existing projects are completed.
Talking about different modern equipment inducted to the FSCD mechanical fleet, the PM said they have purchased a huge quantity of modern and world standard fire dousing and rescue equipment to enhance the capacity of the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
She said her government procured a total of 26 small and large Turntable Ladder (TTL) vehicles including five world-highest 68-metre TTL vehicles for the fleet of the fire service.
The 68-metre-high TTL vehicles have recently been added to the mechanical fleet of FSCD in a bid to tackle high-rise fire incidents as their ladders can expand up to 24 floors of multi-storied buildings, with a large-capacity to fight fire hazards.
The PM said the fire service has been equipped with two remote control fire fighting vehicles while 24 rescue boats and 10 fire floats were purchased to strengthen operational capacity on water way.
She said the government has a plan to introduce a lifetime ration for firefighters.
Noting that the government had earlier donated Tk 20 crore to the Welfare Trust Fund of Fire Service Staff, Hasina announced that she would donate more Tk 20 crore to the Welfare Trust as the number of its members has increased.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Secretary of Security Service Division Abdullah Al Masud Chowdhury and Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brig Gen Md Main Uddin spoke on the occasion.
On behalf of the PM, the home minister handed over the Fire Service and Civil Defence Medal-2022 to 45 firefighters and relatives of 13 firefighters who were killed in the recent BM Container Depot fire at Sitakunda.
A smartly-turned out FSCD contingent, led by parade commander Anwarul Haque presented salute to the prime minister.
Source: United News of Bangladesh