The FCT Fire Service has organized a one-day fire drill for staff of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council,(AMMC) to make them battle ready any emergency.
Declaring the fire drill open, the Coordinator of AMMC, Mr. Amaechi Felix Obuah, said the drill was to equip staff with basic skills on the use of fire defense equipment.
Represented at the occasion by the Ag. Director Admin, Alhaji Buhari Wasiu, Obuah stressed the importance of safety and protection in the work place.
He said the drill became necessary following the incessant minor fire incidences within the Council premises.
“We had a fire incident here 3 weeks ago, when an operational bus, which was parked close to the power generator caught fire and burnt down. I then directed the fire service to either post a fireman to AMMC or sensitize staff on how to use the fire defense equipment,” the Coordinator said.
Speaking earlier, the Ag. Director FCT Fire Service, Mr. Zacheus Adebayo, recalled that that FCT Minster, Barrister Nyesom Wike, had charged emergency responders on the safety of lives and property in the Territory.
Adebayo said the drill would equip participants with simple precautions on fire prevention and how to use fire fighting equipment.
“Engage only qualified persons when wiring your homes or business places, switch off all electrical devices when not in use, do not store petrol in your homes, business places or cars and do not keep domestic gas cylinders within the kitchen,” he restated.
He identified fuel, heat and oxygen as major causes of fire.
According to him, all homes, offices and business places must be equipped with first aid fire fighting equipment like fire blanket and extinguisher.
He educated participants on the different fire extinguishers, how to use them and when to use them.
Meanwhile, the Ag. Director-General of the FCT Emergency Management Department,(FEMD),Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed said emergency response was everybody’s business and urged participants to utilize the knowledge gained to prevent fire incidents.
