Fire Service strikes a deal in first business development contract

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
THE Papua New Guinea Fire Service has created a business development unit to assist their operations.
The fire service received K10,000 from New Zealand media company Media Metro yesterday.
Acting chief fire officer Bill Roo told The National the money was part of an agreement signed with the company last year for Media Metro’s billboards to be erected in selected fire stations around the country.
“The Papua New Guinea Fire Service started embarking on the concept of cost-recovery and revenue-generation through its revised structure out of necessity,” Roo said. He said that although they received government funding, every year the funding seemed to decrease and it was not enough to cover all their operational needs and necessities.
“The creation of the Business Development Unit was the first serious step taken towards internal revenue generation,” he said.
“Cost recovery is a sustainable strategy which stands to improve operational capacity and trigger broad-based organisational growth.”
Roo said the leasing of their land to Metro Media was the first initiative under their new business development unit plan.
“Hopefully we will also look at other options to encourage revenue generation and cater for our costs and expenses.”
They are also awaiting the Papua New Guinea Fire Service revised legislation to be approved by the government.
“As soon as the Act is approved by the National Executive Council, we will see a full scale implementation of the business plan,” he said.
“In the meantime, a certificate of necessity is being worked on by respective sections and agencies which, once completed, will pave the way for the selling of a variety of other products too.”