Lagos State government has promised more support to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service as the agency joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Firefighters Day.
The support, it is said, would come in the forms of equipment, capacity building, allowances and other resources to further boost the morale for enhanced service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Dr. Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji, made the disclosure while receiving firefighters in the state led by the service director who visited him on International Fire Fighters Day.
He acknowledged the efficiency of the agency, saying it had set a pace that others followed.
Gaji while concluding his address to the officers on the occasion of the day, stated that the labour of the fallen firemen heroes would not be in vain.
In her contribution, the Director, Lagos State Fire & Rescue Service, Mrs. Magaret Adeseye, said, “the Agency will remain committed to responding promptly to distress calls at all times and further promote a safety culture with values of collective responsibility against the one man show syndrome of the past.”
She said, “International Fire Fighters Day is observed on May 4. It was instituted after a proposal was emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999 due to the death of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bush fire in Australia.
“So, to honour past heroes locally and internationally, the day (IFFD) is observed every year on 4th May for firefighters around the globe. Firefighters dedicate their lives to the protection of life and property”.
According to her, in the last two years, the Service has restrategised and adopted a holistic approach to fire safety campaigns by reaching out and engaging the public to adopt positive attitudinal behaviour, create community network, increase youth involvement and expand their knowledge on potential threats.
While urging residents to report fire incidents promptly, Adeseye said such practice would yield prompt response from the agency and prevent destruction of lives and property.
“To meet the demands of our growing population as well as enhance accessibility and proximity of the grassroots to fire safety facilities, four additional fire stations are being established and are strategically located across the state to serve the needs of residents,” she added.
The Fire Service boss declared that the state presently had 16 functional stations equipped with state-of-the-art firefighting equipment.
The facilities are manned by officials trained to manage fire incidents and other crisis associated with a megacity like Lagos.
Adeseye pledged that her team would continue to fulfill its mandate and reciprocate the governor’s support, which he said had yielded positive results for the agency.
Meanwhile, the International Fire Fighters Day was observed in all the fire stations across the state while the firefighters used the occasion of the celebration to sensitise the public through flyers and interpersonal communication.
