Firefighters feel unappreciated and underpaid
CDA board’s decision to enhance salary structure yet to be implemented.
"Nobody has been appointed for the fourth position owing to a seniority issue between officials of the fire department,” said a senior official. PHOTO: GETTY
ISLAMABAD:
In the movie Ladder 49, a character asks rhetorically, “How is it that firefighters run into a burning building when everyone else is running out?” before responding to his own question with, “Courage is the answer.”
Sadly, courage is all the CDA firefighters are equipped with. Saeed Ahmad*, 42, a firefighter working in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), has been waiting for the last six years for an increase in his pay in line with a decision taken by its board to enhance the salary structure for firefighters.
In 2008, the CDA had approved an increase in the basic pay for firefighters every month at a board meeting. “At that time, the decision was highly praised by everyone and I felt that our high-ups really cared for us. But later, its non-implementation made us realise that it was complete eyewash and a publicity stunt,” Ahmad said.
“Across the world, firefighters are highly trained because they put their lives at risk to save the life and property of others during emergencies,” Ahmad said, adding that the CDA officials’ indifferent attitude compelled many firefighters to change their cadre, so that they could be absorbed in other departments.
Interestingly, there is not a single fire instructor in the CDA to train over 400 firefighters despite four approved positions of fire instructors at the CDA Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management.
“In the recent past, two fire instructors left the directorate, while another fire instructor is serving at the search and rescue department. Nobody has been appointed for the fourth position owing to a seniority issue between officials of the fire department,” said a senior official.
The absence of fire instructors is affecting the mandatory in-house training of firefighters. “There is a dire need to improve on-the-job training in the CDA, which currently does not exist,” he said.
The CDA also lacks a defined compensation package for firefighters in case of casualty in the line of duty. “The firefighters are treated like other CDA employees. There is no special compensation package for them other than the one given to all employees who die during service,” Ahmad said.
The firefighters usually serve in rotation round-the-clock, but are not even given proper accommodation. “There are only a limited number of quarters in the fire headquarters building, which are too few to accommodate the firefighters and many of us travel long distances to reach headquarters,” he said.
The issue of transportation and low-quality uniform was also a matter of concern for the firefighters. “Only two firefighters are sent abroad for training,” said an official of the disaster management wing. “Usually, whenever the CDA receives such requests from foreign countries, the officers prefer to avail the opportunity,” he added.
CDA Environment Member Mustafain Kazmi commented that in every field of life there is always room for improvement. He said the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management enjoys a good repute because of its response time and state-of-the-art equipment.
“It’s because of our performance, the urban search and rescue wing’s help was sought during the emergency situation created by the Attabad Lake and Qissa Khwani Bazaar bombing.” The incumbent management is focusing on issues faced by firefighters, he added.
*Name has been changed on the request of the firefighter
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2014.
In the movie Ladder 49, a character asks rhetorically, “How is it that firefighters run into a burning building when everyone else is running out?” before responding to his own question with, “Courage is the answer.”
Sadly, courage is all the CDA firefighters are equipped with. Saeed Ahmad*, 42, a firefighter working in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), has been waiting for the last six years for an increase in his pay in line with a decision taken by its board to enhance the salary structure for firefighters.
In 2008, the CDA had approved an increase in the basic pay for firefighters every month at a board meeting. “At that time, the decision was highly praised by everyone and I felt that our high-ups really cared for us. But later, its non-implementation made us realise that it was complete eyewash and a publicity stunt,” Ahmad said.
“Across the world, firefighters are highly trained because they put their lives at risk to save the life and property of others during emergencies,” Ahmad said, adding that the CDA officials’ indifferent attitude compelled many firefighters to change their cadre, so that they could be absorbed in other departments.
Interestingly, there is not a single fire instructor in the CDA to train over 400 firefighters despite four approved positions of fire instructors at the CDA Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management.
“In the recent past, two fire instructors left the directorate, while another fire instructor is serving at the search and rescue department. Nobody has been appointed for the fourth position owing to a seniority issue between officials of the fire department,” said a senior official.
The absence of fire instructors is affecting the mandatory in-house training of firefighters. “There is a dire need to improve on-the-job training in the CDA, which currently does not exist,” he said.
The CDA also lacks a defined compensation package for firefighters in case of casualty in the line of duty. “The firefighters are treated like other CDA employees. There is no special compensation package for them other than the one given to all employees who die during service,” Ahmad said.
The firefighters usually serve in rotation round-the-clock, but are not even given proper accommodation. “There are only a limited number of quarters in the fire headquarters building, which are too few to accommodate the firefighters and many of us travel long distances to reach headquarters,” he said.
The issue of transportation and low-quality uniform was also a matter of concern for the firefighters. “Only two firefighters are sent abroad for training,” said an official of the disaster management wing. “Usually, whenever the CDA receives such requests from foreign countries, the officers prefer to avail the opportunity,” he added.
CDA Environment Member Mustafain Kazmi commented that in every field of life there is always room for improvement. He said the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management enjoys a good repute because of its response time and state-of-the-art equipment.
“It’s because of our performance, the urban search and rescue wing’s help was sought during the emergency situation created by the Attabad Lake and Qissa Khwani Bazaar bombing.” The incumbent management is focusing on issues faced by firefighters, he added.
*Name has been changed on the request of the firefighter
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2014.