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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected] 

BULAWAYO has become the nerve centre for capacity building and training of fire-fighters across the country and in the region through a successful partnership with Operation Florian of the United Kingdom (UK).

Due to improved services, the Bulawayo Fire Brigade is one of the trusted emergency services in the country, servicing the wider southern parts of the country. 

Among its strides, the Bulawayo Fire Brigade was last year honoured after it successfully extinguished a raging fire that could have destroyed the Treger Products manufacturing unit in Belmont and saved property worth millions of United States dollars. 

As an appreciation to the fire department, Treger Products renovated the Bulawayo Fire Brigade kitchen in Famona and offered stoves and dining furniture.

A 21-member delegation from the UK Fire and Rescue Service charity is in Bulawayo for two weeks to train 150 fire fire-fighters from Bulawayo City Council and other local authorities in the country. 

To further enhance Bulawayo’s ability to react swiftly to any fire incident, Operation Florian has donated three more fighter tenders that are expected to be delivered this week, which brings to 20 fire tenders that have been received from the charity organisation since 2011 when the partnership was formed, the city’s chamber secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, said. 

So far under the programme, a total of 800 fire-fighters have been trained including personnel from Botswana and Zambia. 

The partnership has also helped Bulawayo secure critical equipment, and protective clothing as well as gain technical expertise. 

Speaking during a courtesy call to the mayor, Councillor David Coltart, yesterday, Mrs Zhou said the visiting team comprised 21 fire-fighters including six students from the University of Central Lancashire, who will be conducting courses that include strategic management, breathing apparatus, road traffic collision and community safety. 

“The partnership with the university came three years after we had engaged Operation Florian as we wanted to build a collaboration so that the future fire-fighters of the UK have a relationship with Bulawayo. 

“We’re happy that one of the students who came with the team 10 years ago is now a fire-fighter. 

In terms of training, everything is set and amongst those training, we don’t only have those from BCC but students from Hwange ZPC, Hwange Local Board, Mutare Fire Brigade, Plumtree Fire Brigade, Gweru, Shurugwi, Karoi, Chegutu, Victoria Falls and Chipinge Fire Brigade,” said Mrs Zhou. 

“So, we have the whole country represented in the training and we now have lots of people attracted to this programme, which is a result of our partnership. 

We have also received three fire engines, which we expect to be in Bulawayo by the end of this week. 

“This partnership has also made our fire-fighters competitive, which is a disadvantage because monthly we have some resigning and going to Arab countries, etc.” 

Mrs Zhou said she was hopeful that as they train more fire-fighters in Bulawayo, they will eventually come back and plough back into the city when they relocate to other lucrative destinations. 

Bulawayo acting chief fire officer, Mr Mhlangano Moyo said some of the fire-fighters who leave the city were helping in drilling boreholes to ensure that fire services are not disrupted as the city is facing water woes. 

“This training will benefit fire-fighters from 10 other local authorities around the country as a result of this partnership, which has made our team very competent,” he said. 

“Our Bulawayo fire-fighters are the most sought after and many have left destined for Asia, mainly the Arab countries including Qatar and UAE. 

We have also benefitted in terms of latest firefighting equipment and we have line inductors and top-notch rescue equipment, which is why our services are the best,” said Mr Moyo.

“In terms of technical expertise even in managing these emergencies, we have the best as we continually engage with our peers from Operation Florian. 

“Since 2011 we have trained more than 800 fire-fighters. When we started the whole country came to Bulawayo for training and we have had people from Zambia and Botswana coming all the way to train.” 

Mr Moyo said after training in Bulawayo, Zambian counterparts had started a university project to train fire-fighters, an idea mulled during Operation Florian. 

Besides the fire tenders, Operation Florian also sends containers with equipment and materials vital for the training and for the emergency personnel to use on completion of the training.