How capable is our fire service

 THE country’s fire service will come under scrutiny this month after several blazes wreaked millions of kina worth of damage to property and equipment last month and over the weekend. 

Given that the Papua New Guinea’s two largest urban centres, Lae and Port Moresby, are experiencing a spike in growth, the protection afforded by the National Fire Department is something that needs to be looked at. 

What needs to be brought to the fore is the fire safety measures legislated and policed by the municipal authorities in these two cities. 

Are buildings following the building and safety codes, particularly with regard to fire prevention and protection against other threats such as earthquakes and structural deficiencies? 

The fire service is a state-run service that we pay little attention to until they are needed. That has allowed the department to go almost unnoticed in its efforts to provide a reliable and effective fire-fighting capability when needed. 

Thankfully, the cost in human life from the recent spate of fires was averted primarily because people were able to safely flee the scene and because the buildings were not large enough to requiring complicated fire escape strategies. But what happens when a multi-storey building in one of our major centres has a fire on its middle or top floor? 

Will the local fire service be able to combat the blaze and bring it under control and save lives and property given the location of the fire and the degree of difficulty? 

This is a valid question that must be asked of the state and the city authorities whose job it is to safeguard public and private interests.  

So far, fortunately, fires that have occurred have been on a lesser scale, however the damage wrought has been extensive. 

All the buildings that burned were not saved to any degree – as a result the losses not just in infrastructure but goods and equipment were significant. 

In fact, there was little the fire service could do to save or salvage property once the flames took hold. 

It was simply a matter of letting the fire run its course but at the same time ensuring nearby buildings and other facilities were not engulfed in the inferno. 

Outside of the cost in loss of property and time off work there was the loss of vital medical drugs of which the result will be felt immediately with a shortage in the Lae area. 

Response times to these fires play a major role in whether they can be controlled successfully. 

The other factor is the equipment and know-how to combat blazes. 

Are our fire fighters able to handle the situation once they arrive at the scene? 

Do they have the necessary equipment and water supply, etc to minimise damage and save lives? 

Fire investigators must be employed to determine the cause fires, whether deliberate (arson), due to unsafe and dangerous practices within the property or because of faulty equipment/machinery on the premises or unsound electrical installations. 

There are a wide variety of fire starters and potential for ignition in many company premises so the responsibility of businesses is always on-going. 

We have to ask whether we have an inspection regime in place for buildings. 

Does our fire service have the latest in technology and the requisite training to handle the challenges that a developing country will no doubt place in it? 

If current state funding is adequate in keeping the local fire services operational to a certain extent then surely those in power must not overlook the fact that an effective fire service is a vital component of any modern urban setting. 

The cost for ignoring this area is just too high to contemplate.