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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected]

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) yesterday received three more fire tenders and equipment worth US$1 million from Operation Florian, a United Kingdom-based fire and rescue service charity organisation.

The donation, which comes barely five months after BCC took delivery of four fire tenders procured by the Government on behalf of the country’s 92 local authorities using part of their 2021 devolution funds, will help improve safety, save lives and property as the city has been running with depleted fire tenders.

Bulawayo is witnessing a sharp increase in fire incidents with an average of 10 fire calls being received daily and this has been taking a toll on the firefighting equipment. 

Recent fires in the city included the explosion of a petrol storage tank last year in November that resulted in a raging fire that reduced several vehicles to shells at a fuel depot in the Kelvin West industrial area. 

Two months earlier, 15 cars were also reduced to shells following a fire at a workshop in Mzilikazi suburb.

During the same year in September, Mutize Flea Market in the city centre, known  as the Little Musina, was razed after a fire broke out.

Operation Florian has also trained several firefighters from across the country. Representatives of the organisation were recently in Bulawayo for two weeks to train 150 fire firefighters drawn from several local authorities in the country.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Bulawayo deputy mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu said their partnership with Operation Florian comes at a time when the city’s emergency services are facing major challenges characterised by a shortage of equipment and skilled personnel. 

“We appreciate this relationship as it has ensured that our members of staff get the best training from various firefighters from the United Kingdom fire stations. 

“The knowledge you have shared has equipped them to handle even the toughest emergencies and improved their capabilities,” he said. 

Clr Ndlovu said the donation will go a long way in improving the city’s emergency services.

“The City of Bulawayo is today receiving a further donation of three fire trucks and equipment worth US$ 1 million, which will boost our fleet from nine to 12 fire tenders,” he said.

The council, besides a shortage of fire tenders, is also facing a shortage of qualified firefighters as many of them are leaving to seek opportunities elsewhere. The city lost 38 firefighters last year alone.

The Fire Brigade says it receives an average of ten fire calls a day and 60 percent of the fires are caused by carelessly discarded lit materials while 30 percent are caused by electrical faults. 

“The city’s team led by the acting chief fire officer has been undergoing a two-week intensive programme which covered many topics such as incident command, introduction to managing incidents, advanced community fire safety, international trauma life support and advanced fire investigation among others,” said Clr Ndlovu.

“I hope that we will have reduced skills flight so that we continue to grow the city’s firefighting skills.” 

The programme also benefited firefighters from Hwange Local Board, Hwange Colliery, Zimbabwe Power Company, Shurugwi Town Council, Masvingo City Council, Mutare City Council, Gweru City Council and the City of Harare. 

Other beneficiaries are Gwanda Municipality, Chegutu Municipality; Chipinge Town Council, Rusape Town Council, Victoria Falls City and Unki Mine.

 

Speaking during the same event, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube said the concept of engagement and re-engagement spearheaded by the Second Republic continues to bear fruits. 

“We are glad to see that we continue benefiting from our engagements that have also helped our fellow people from surrounding areas. This handover is well appreciated and as a city, we are aiming at enhancing service delivery including addressing the city’s water challenges,” she said. 

Minister Ncube said Bulawayo’s water technical committee appointed by the Government is working flat out to tackle the city’s prevailing water crisis.

“We are a result-based Government, and therefore, we want results since the local authority was recently given US$15 million by the Government to address water challenges,” she said. 

During the ceremony, six students from the University of Central Lancashire who were part of the training which benefited 150 firefighters, were awarded certificates.