The Abia State Fire Service, in conjunction with Flo-Fm 94.9, Umuahia and Smart Ventures, organized a 3-day fire prevention training seminar, holding in Umuahia, the Abia State Capital.
The event which is scheduled to hold from 15 to 17, April, 2021 had participants who keenly listened and watched every practical aspect of the training.
During the seminar, experts from the Nigeria Red Cross Society, Abia State branch, took out time to educate the participants. The seminar encompasses theory, practical and visual display of how to manage victims of fire incidents, household accident, automobile accidents and also safety measures.
PHOTO: Practical section of Emergency response to Accident Victim
Speaking to Candidreporters.com about the event was Gbaruko Victor Okechukwu, Controller, Abia State Fire Service, Chairman Conference of Directors, Fire Service of Nigeria.
Gbaruko hinted that the purpose of the seminar is to sensitize the public and make them fire fighters in their homes and different establishment before they invite fire service.
Also speaking to Candidreporters.com correspondence was Akubuako Nzubechi, Branch Training Officer of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Abia State.
Akabuako hinted that he and his team were on ground on request by the organizers of the event to assist participants on First-Aid training so that they can be able to attend to victims in times of emergency. .He also expressed satisfaction from response of the participants.
His words: it’s been very amazing and wonderful, am enjoying the classes, the participants are very wonderful, they came out with questions that has been so amazing, it’s a welcomed development, am glad that the participants will go home with acquired skills in First-Aid and emergency response skills when it comes to fire outbreak.
“We intend to achieve a lot, our goal is also that the personnel of the Abia State Fire service will also have that “skilled” assistance to help casualties in situations of fire outbreak. We intend to train everybody available for the workshop.” Akabuako added.
A participant of the training, Prince Eze Chibuzor, a Planned Maintenance Specialist/ Fire Prevention Team of the Nigerian Breweries PLC, Aba, also spoke to candidreporters.com about the event, he disclosed that five of his colleagues were sent down for the training.
His words: ” Knowledge is like a wild fire, you cannot know it all, since the commencement of the event, a lot have been refreshed regarding all I already know, yesterday was awesome, today is becoming more interesting, I love the practical side of the First-Aid training, the resource persons are experts, they professionally did the practicals, I like it, I learnt a lot. Bringing Fist-Aid experts into the training is a beautiful combination.”
Also speaking extensively about fire outbreak and precautionary measures was the Abia State Fire Service boss, Gbaruko Victor Okechukwu, he added that fire service personnel is only a helping hand in any fire outbreak, thus, citizens has role to play during any fire outbreak.
His words: “When there’s an outbreak, you don’t say fire service didn’t attend,what did your cooperation or establishment do before the arrival of fire service men? ” He asked.
“It’s very important, many people are failing in their duty and they blame fire service.” Gbaruko added.
The fire service boss also lamented the low turn out of participants from Umuahia which he alleged to possible financial constraint.
“Many of them in Umuahia couldn’t attend because they were looking at their money and when any disaster happen in their factory, they call fire service and they heap blame on fire service.” Gbaruko said.
Gbaruko emphasized that the training is been championed by Flo-Fm 94.9 Umuahia, Smart Consult, and keyed into by Abia Fire Service.
“We have been nursing the Idea till they came up and said look, we have a lot to do.
“We are stakeholders, and equally generating house for ideas” Gbaruko added.
He also gave credit to the resource persons from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Red Cross Society of Nigeria, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Abia State Fire service.
Responding to the question if the training will be done periodically, Gbaruko said ” It must have to continue in every three months, the next area we are going is Aba.”
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