Federal Fire Service Saved N18.9trillion Worth of Properties in 2021

The Federal Fire Service (FFS) saved properties worth N18.9 trillion, while saving 587 lives and rescuing 260 persons from raging fire in 2021.

This was revealed by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the decoration of newly promoted Deputy Controllers General (DCGs) of the Service in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the Minister, “Last year, the FFS responded to 2,845 SOS distress-calls in which 136 lives and property worth N3 trillion were lost. But the FSS was able to save 587 lives, rescue 260 persons and save property worth N18.9 trillion.

“In sum, the stock of the FFS has grown in leaps and bounds as the agency has contributed significantly to national security – in the protection of lives and property,” the Minister revealed.

Whilst stating reason the above achievements was made possible, Ogbeni Aregbesola noted that between 2015 and now, the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari committed more resources into the Fire Service than since its creation in 1901.

“The attention and resources devoted by the Buhari administration since 2015 is more than whatever has been put into it since its establishment in 1901. Between 2015 and 2020, the Federal Government provided 106 modern firefighting trucks to the FSS.

“Last year, the Federal Executive Council also approved (and have since been procured and deployed) N10.4 billion infrastructure upgrade comprising of 44 firefighting engines, 15 water tankers, 15 rapid intervention fire engines (not conventional ones) that can go into the nooks and crannies to respond to distress-calls and 20 basic life support ambulances. Also, 17 firefighting officers were sent to Belarus for advanced trainer-training course. These officers are the master trainers that will be training other officers on modern firefighting, disaster and emergency management,” the Minister noted.