International Firefighters’ Day: Civil defence ill-equipped to deal with emergencies

Senior official claims the department will be upgraded soon.

ISLAMABAD:

While the world observes International Firefighters’ Day today, the city’s Civil Defence Department’s (CDD) has only one fire truck to cater to over one million population of the city. The International Firefighters’ Day is observed to commemorate the efforts of fire departments and the sacrifices made by brave men and women to help people in emergencies.

According to sources, CDD was allotted a budget of Rs2.2 million during the year 2009-10, however, the department has been focusing on training firefighters instead of procuring necessary machinery and equipment. The department currently has only one fire truck and a team of 35 volunteers. The fire fighting departments of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rescue 106 and Rescue 1122, have taken charge of dealing with fire emergencies in the city, with seven centres, a fleet of 25 vehicles and 269 firefighters.

CDD is responsible for providing relief in emergency situations, especially to residents of rural areas of the capital city, but has not been functional due to lack of funds and interest of the relevant authorities. Considered to be the most important department of ICT, many also claim it to be the most neglected one.

When enquired, Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed said that a summary of PC-1 for up-gradation of the department had been forwarded to the Chief Commissioner’s office. According to PC-1, three main units will be established in different Union Councils of ICT including Kurri, Bara Kahu, and Koral. Three ambulances, three rescue teams and three fire fighters will be inducted in the city in order to rescue the people in emergency-like situations.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Assistant Director CDD Syed Ibrar Hussain Shah claimed that at his time of appointment, CDD did not have a single rescue team, and operating within resources, the department has managed to raise a rescue team comprising of volunteers. “Whenever any untoward incident happens in the city, our teams are the first to reach the spot,” he claimed.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.