Story by Zanele Ndlovu
BULAWAYO – FIRE fighters from various rural district councils across Matabeleland Provinces are undergoing training in Bulawayo, with the initiative expected to boost their ability to respond to fire incidences.
The training follows the procurement of fire tenders by government and its call for local authorities to improve their disaster preparedness and response.
Participants are drawn from five rural district councils, Tsholotsho, Kusile, Matobo, Insiza and Hwange
“l am grateful to be part of this initiative as it will not only change my life, but also that of others in need. We are thankful to the government for rolling out such initiatives as they will help curb disasters in rural areas,” a trainee said.
“As a fire-fighter trainee, l am grateful for this programme because it has taught me a lot in terms of teamwork and focus. This will help me carry out my job diligently and be able to save more lives in my district,” another added.
“Firefighting is a demanding role. We’re being trained not just to extinguish fires, but also to assist in road traffic accidents, floods, and other emergencies. It’s about courage and commitment,” a trainee noted.
The initiative is expected to improve local authorities’ ability to respond to fire incidences.
“Following government directives, we are equipping our rural districts with emergency services, including fire personnel and equipment. This training aims to improve response times to emergencies, as Bulawayo was previously responsible for the entire region,” Bulawayo Fire Station officer, Mr Victor Jele noted.
Zimbabwe is seeking to upscale its overall disaster management system in both rural and urban areas, with local authorities empowered to also respond to cases of veld fires and road traffic accidents.
