18 LGAs Set To Get Fire-Stations In Ondo
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has reeled out plans to establish fire-station in each of the 18 Local Government Areas of the state to reduce response time to fire disasters.
The governor disclosed this when he handed newly acquired firefighting trucks to the state Fire Service in a major step towards strengthening the state’s fire service and enhancing public safety.
Speaking at the handing-over event, Aiyedatiwa emphasized that the acquisition of the new firefighting trucks is part of broader efforts to enhance disaster response and ensure the safety of all residents.
The governor noted that an efficient fire service is critical to protecting communities, businesses, and critical infrastructure, stressing that the government will continue to invest in modern firefighting equipment and personnel training.
The Governor urged firefighters and emergency responders to maximize the use of the equipment in delivering efficient and professional services to the public.
According to him, the distribution of the firefighting trucks marked a major milestone in the administration’s efforts to ease the burden experienced when controllable and uncontrollable disasters occur especially in the area of disaster response as it has to do with fire.
In his words, “In times past, communities would usually gather together to put off fire outbreaks whenever they occur.
“In other words, reliance on the support of all and sundry was key to overcoming such disasters.
“Today, the coming of the APC-led administration under the amiable leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has continued to transform the landscape of governance in all sectors, and the Ondo State Government under my leadership is poised to build on the efforts of the President to ensure uniformity in our developmental pursuits.
“That is why the State Government will leave no stone unturned in domesticating the dividends of democracy to the remotest parts of the State.”
Aiyedatiwa said his government is determined to transform the fire-fighting overall strategy through systematic replacement of old fire-fighting trucks with modern and state-of-the-art ones, periodic recruitment and continuous training and retraining of personnel, reduction of response time to distress calls, and regular public enlightenment on emergency preparedness and response.
Also, he said there would be a robust funding mechanism through public and private adoption and deployment of drones and ICT for incident capturing and control via a State-of-the-art Emergency Response Command Center.
He said the Firefighting trucks represent the unwavering commitment to the fulfillment of the government’s constitutional role of securing lives and property and the welfare of the good people of the State as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
The governor said the administration would work within its financial capacity to upgrade and expand the Service Stations across the state to be as close as possible to various communities, thereby reducing the response time.
He appealed to public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies to complement the efforts of the government as a way of ensuring that no community is left behind in terms of access to emergency equipment and facilities.
In his address, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Works, Olawoye Abiola said, equipping the firefighting stations with trucks is investing in public safety and reinforcing the confidence of the citizens in the ability of the government to protect them.
Abiola said safety is a collective responsibility and urged the citizens to cooperate with the fire service, adhere to safety regulations, and report emergencies promptly to ensure a coordinated response.
