PNG fire service plans units

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 08th April, 2013

 By ARMSTRONG SAIYAMA

THE PNG Fire Service plays no part in half of the provincial building boards in Papua New Guinea, chief fire officer Isaac Silas says.

He said the service’s development plan up to 2014 affected in only half of the provinces.

“PNGFS has prepared proposals to establish an emergency service unit in Manus and held discussions on possible emergency service units for Enga, Chimbu and Hela,” Silas said.

He said the building fire safety worked with a wide range of persons and organisations.

“These include the community, commerce and industry, provincial building boards, builders, architects, fire protection equipment suppliers, insurance council  and association, NCD, Water PNG and Eda Ranu,” he said.

He added that it included safety committees and fire wardens in high risk buildings.

“PNG Fire Service works for building and site safety through the use of fire safety regulations through alliances with government agencies, industry and commerce  in supporting building safety and through community education,” 

he said.

Silas said the building fire safety regulations could benefit the provinces and business firms could become major partners of PNGFS.

He said the areas where the business firms could assist were:

Creation of business ethic for building fire safety;

Support funding for regulatory bodies;

Partnership with architects and builders in planning and construction of buildings;

Learning from best practice in fire safety; and

Shared training.

He said it was vital for the PNGFS to advise the building boards in the provinces on building fire safety.

“The building needs to be improved, and there has to be an in-built-fire safety systems to be incorporated into the designs of the buildings,” Silas said.