Load shedding burdening Fire Brigade

Tuesday, 03 November 2009 13:28

ZDDT gathers information on fire incidents and fire prevention in order to assist in establishing safer environment.

______________________

Uncontrolled fires remain a cause of huge concern in most areas of Zimbabwe. To raise awareness  amongst the residents of the danger of fire, the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT) held a meeting with the Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) Fire Department at the beginning of October.

ZDDT’s Provincial Development Officer, Mr. Bruce Mtengwa, met with the Fire Brigade’s Assistant Divisional Officer (Fire Prevention & Administration), Mr. Jabulani Ndlovu.  

The negligence of some locals, water shortages and lack of fuel were among the Department’s woes.   

However, the figures Mr. Ndlovu presented were encouraging:

The Fire Brigade attended to 336 fire incidents in the 2008/2009 municipal calendar, which marks a significant ten percent decrease from the preceding period (373).

Fatalities were also reduced.

One death was recorded in the just ended 2008/2009 season which contrasted to seven casualties of the previous year. This represents a eighty seven per cent improvement.
   
During the meeting, Mr. Ndlovu revealed the three major causes of fire, as identified by the Fire Department, are lit materials (46%), electrical faults (23%) and deliberate arson (14%). The risk of accidents is higher because the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) embarked on a load shedding exercise.

City residents have thus been forced to use gas, fire wood, coal, cow dung and other energy substitutes for cooking which increases the risk of fire.

Mr. Ndlovu emphasized that the Department remains worried about rate payers who attempt to extinguish fires on their own and only choose to call for rescue after their attempts have proven fruitless. In almost all cases, the Fire Brigade has arrived after the conflagration has caused fatalities, injury or consumed property.

According to Mr. Ndlovu, the Fire Department is further burdened with the fact that all its rescue equipment has depreciated to scrap value. Frequent breakdowns of machines hinder the department from providing an efficient service.

The information gathered during this recent meeting will be passed on by ZDDT to its Community Action Teams (CAT), not only in order for them to be informed and on alert but also, to pass their knowledge on to fellow residents to create a safer environment.