Karachi Metropolitan Corporation gets world’s highest snorkel

Ten fire tenders were also given to strengthen the rescue system of province

KARACHI: Realising the severe shortage of fire tenders in the port city, the provincial government handed over ten fire tenders and one snorkel to local bodies in Sindh on Friday. The keys of three fire tenders and one snorkel, which is said to be one of the highest of the world, were handed over to Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar. Besides, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Jacobabad and Qasimabad municipalities were given one fire tender each.

Addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah said Karachi was one of the biggest cities in the world with lofty structures and multi-storey buildings. It was in dire need of a snorkel for firefighting in high-rise buildings. "The snorkel I am handing over to the Karachi mayor is one of the highest in the world with 104 metres height for rescuing from high-rise buildings," he said.



The snorkel has a 600 litre-per minute (LPM) fire pump capacity, a 1,000 LPM foam tank, and remote water monitor for firefighting from cage with a capacity of 3,800 LPM. It has four hydraulically-powered outriggers that provide a strong stabilisation system to rescue at maximum height with accuracy and stability. It has features 360 degree rotation with telescopic booms. The snorkel has been purchased at a cost of Rs495 million.

Each fire tender has been purchased for Rs19m and the total cost of ten fire tenders comes to Rs190m.

Speaking about the specifications of the fire tenders, officials said that each fire tender has a capacity of 8,000 litres in the water tank and 500 litres in foam tanks made of polypropylene sheet with lifetime warranty against corrosion.

It has normal and high pressure fire pumps, besides an automatic built-in priming system. The fire tender also has a spacious crew compartment for firefighters who are equipped with all necessary tools.

The firefighters' kits are specially designed with full automatic flywheel and are fully equipped with all accessories and firefighting equipment.

The CM directed Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani to visit each and every district and taluka headquarters, assess the requirement of firefighting machinery and equipment and then prepare a scheme accordingly. "I'll try to purchase maximum fire tenders and required machinery during the current financial year and whatever is left would be purchased in next financial year," he said, adding that each district municipal corporation would also be provided fire tenders.

"We are working hard to improve firefighting capabilities of fire brigades working all over Sindh," said CM Shah, while addressing the ceremony. The programme was attended by Minister Ghani, Women Development Minister Shahela Raza, CM Adviser Muraza Wahab, Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Hyderabad Mayor and representatives of various local bodies.



The CM said that there was a dire need to equip all district and taluka headquarters with fire tenders to improve firefighting capabilities of the fire brigades. "We had started this exercise during our last tenure and had ordered purchase of one snorkel and ten fire tenders for the local bodies of Karachi and others districts," he said, adding that he was happy to hand over the keys of the fire tenders to the local bodies' representatives.

He congratulated the local government minister and also lauded the efforts of former local government minister Jam Khan Shoro for inducting the snorkel and fire tenders to the fleet.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2018.