Adamawa Has Only Three Functional Fire Fighting Trucks…..Official!

Safety measures is been described as fundamental factor for peace and economic stability of every civilized nation.

Any nation and community that lack proper safety planning and provision , surely , lost of lives ,wealth and economic devastation will easily become segments of that society.

In not less than two months, Adamawa state has recorded four devastating fire outbreaks where property worth billions of naira destroyed.

The popular and ancient Yola market was on early January this year completely destroyed by mysterious midnight fire outbreak.

Beside Yola market, Numan, Ngurore and Fufore central markets were also seriously devastated.

According to the disaster management experts, poor safety provision and improper market planning were among the responsible of such avoidable incidents.

Mr. Abdullahi Adamu, the Adamawa Fire Service Controller when contacted, said that adamawa department has only three functional fire fighting trucks.

Meanwhile , according to National Population Commission the 2006 Nigeria’s census counted 3.2 million people in Adamawa state.

And just ten years later, Adamawa has a projected population of 4. 8 Million With a total number of approximately Five hundred and thirty Eight thousand households.

With five major markets situated at four administrative divisions namely: Adamawa ( Yola South and Jimeta ) , Ganye, Mubi and Numan

Adamu in an interview with Newsmen said that all the major markets mentioned across the state had no fire fighting unit.

“We have four fire fighting stations in the state with only three functional fighting trucks.” Adamu said.

He listed the stations as Numan , Gombi and Michika to carter for Southern, Central and Northern zones of the state respectively.

Others included Yola station with two functional fire fighting trucks for the state capital and Mubi station for Mubi town and its environs with only one functional truck.

On the challenges affecting effective service delivery of the department, Adamu replied that Numan,Gombi and Michika stations were not functioning completely for many years.

He confirmed that the state capital station mostly rely on the assistance in case of any fire outbreak from sister organizations.

“We normally received assistance during fire outbreak from Nigerian Air force, American University of Nigeria, Modibbo Adama University of Technology and Faro Water Company fire fighting departments.” Adamu said.

On the state of art of the equipment, he complained that the existent three functional fire fighting trucks were purchased in 1990.

He said that last year six personnel were sent to study on Fire safety Plan at National Fire College in Shede, Abuja.

“The Fire Fighting Trucks we are using were purchased in 1990; And since 1993 we have not recruit single personal into the department.

“And this year, we have concluded arrangement to send additional six personnel to study on Fire Investigation and Assessment Plan at National Fire College, Shede in Abuja.” Adamu said

He said presently, the department has only sixty two staff across the state and by the end of December 2016, ten staff would be retired from the services.

He noted that the department needs no less than two hundred personnel and ten new brand of fire fighting trucks to carter the need of the people of the state.

Adamu said in 2015, the department recorded a total of sixty five fire incidents including fifteen rescues of flood victims.

He said that in the year under review, no life was lost to fire incident in the state, furthermore, property estimated N694 million naira was saved.

“In 2015, we lost property estimated N187 million naira to fire incidents.

“While in the same year, we rescued hundreds of domestic animals comprises of cattle, goat and fowl during a flood in Demsa and Numan local government areas.” He said.

On the revenue generation, he said the department in 2015 generated two million naira to the government coffer.