By Stanley Onyekwere
The Fire Service Act of 1963 has become obsolete and limits the enforcement powers of emergency agencies in carrying out their duties, according to the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
To this end, FEMA called for a review of the Act to put it in line with current realities, in order to improve public safety.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Agency’s Head, Public Relations Unit (PRU), Nkechi Isa, which was made available to PeoplesDaily.
The statement quotes the Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss, saying : “Is there any law that empowers the firemen to vent a building from the beginning of the construction to the end? They are supposed to be there from inception.”
Idriss informed that in the FCT, emergency agencies rely on the Urban and Regional Planning Act to carry out enforcement.
He disclosed that at least an average of 5 fires are recorded daily in the FCT, noting that this was a high rate.
According to the DG, most of the fires were avoidable and could be traced to carelessness or willful acts.
The FEMA boss appealed to FCT residents to dial the toll-free number 112 if they sight or sense anything strange or unusual.
