Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said that it has plans to boost its capacity to successfully combat airport fire with the procurement of additional 20 fire tenders.
When added to existing 90 of such vehicles in its fleet, FAAN will boasts of 110 serviceable fire tenders across the 22 airports under its control.
Managing Director, FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu who made this known at this year’s International Fire Fighters Day in Lagos tagged: “Heroes Remembrance Ceremony/ Parade,” also condoled with families of fire fighters who paid the supreme price in active service, saying their commitment and sacrifice were commendable.
Yadudu affirmed that the management of FAAN has resolved to provide all the equipment needed to handle airport emergencies and increase safety by ten folds.
He said, “We have over 90 and we are trying to procure at least 20 more that is the plan now because some are aged, some are due for refurbishment, so with the new ones we replace the ones that we feel that we are going to phase out”.
“We are doing this in order to make sure that in the event of emergence, we do not stand in need of anything that is missing because they are our primary emergence response team”.
The FAAN’s helmsman also stated that the refurbishment of fire stations will be carried out two or three at a time, even as he added that training is also on the priority list of the management.
“Two months ago we commissioned the Abuja training ground even though the Federal Government procured a major equipment in Zaria, which is ours entirely for FAAN to use, this is what we are doing and we are doing more”.
Yadudu who laid the wreath at the cenotaph of fallen fire fighters also condoled with the families of the departed officers explaining that the international Fire Fighters Day, is to remember the courageous men and women of the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Firefighting (ARFFS) who have risked their lives in saving and protecting others , He saluted their sacrifices and urged them not to relent in the discharge of their duties.
He also said that the agency and the department have reached out to the respective families through condolence letters and visits.
Speaking on the procured fire fighting simulator, Capt. Yadudu said, “the simulator is here for all of us to benefit from, the fire people from FAAN and aviation industry in general; we tend to be more and more aware of it and be appreciative of the initiative and equipment, it is essentially for the benefit of the whole industry”.
He added, “In the event of emergence, we need the fire fighters to come out and perform…, we need them to be in top sharp, we need them to be competent, we need them to be fully aware of their responsibilities and trained, so that training aspect is what comes up when you are talking about the simulator. We do recurrence at intervals. Before now, we used to do it outside the country, neighbouring countries like Cameroon; but Federal government decided that we should work together and bring the equipment home”.
Yadudu therefore called on all officers to be focused and committed to their duties and should not allow any challenges to weaken their resolve at putting in their best on the job.
“Remain focused, remain committed, this ecosystem will keep working whether Managing Director is here or not, it is a national heritage, national economic asset”.
