Fire station gets help

National

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
THE Gerehu Fire Station has sought and found assistance to fix its fire equipment to prepare for next year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Station commander superintendent John Gareresi told The National that their 24m aerial platform snorkel (fire truck) had not been in operation for more than 12 years.
“This vehicle is one of only two that we have in Port Moresby that can respond to fire on highrise buildings,” he said.
Gareresi said it was donated by Japanese International Corporation Agency (Jica) to the Papua New Guinea Government in 1991.
“Because Apec is a few more months away, we decided that it is important we get this truck on the road so that it will be the only one assisting the entire city to combat fire on high buildings,” Gareresi said.
He said through their public relations with partners like the ExxonMobil and Taubmans PNG, they established contact with Frank Butler from the PNG Help NGO.
Butler then assisted them to engage  Spectra Industrial Company, headed by Ron Jenkins, to service the vehicle and  Patrick’s Transport Company, headed by Leung Chan, to finance the servicing.
Spectra Industrial operations manager Nilo Estandarte said they identified a number of issues with the fire engine. “We found out that a lot of its parts had gone missing, like the wirings from the ignition keys to the connection fuse in the engines had been cut.
The power takeoff was not working and other issues relating to the engine,” Estandarte said.
He said the fire engine was now in working condition but advised the fire station to service the parts before use.
Butler said servicing of the vehicle would cost more than K10,000.