In an effort to tackle the menace of fire outbreaks, the Management of Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, has taken sensitization campaigns to markets in the capital city to mitigate occurrences.
The Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation of the Agency, Mrs Florence Wenegeame, led a sensitization team to Karmu Market which has suffered several fire outbreaks leading to loss of properties worth millions of Naira.
Addressing the business men and women in the market, Mrs Wenegeame stated that, the agency has the vision to entrench a culture of public safety and effective citizens’ participation in emergency Management.
She said preventing fire outbreaks is critical to the survival of businesses and advised them to have fire extinguishers in their various shops as an emergency response.
Mrs. Wenegeame advised residents of the city to avoid sleeping and cooking in shops as doing so may ignite fire that could consume lives and properties.
She encouraged the business men to dispose garbages properly and avoid setting them on fire within the marked premises.
She said, “Put off all your electric appliances in your shops when you close from business. Prevention is better than cure.”
She warned them against keeping petrols, kerosene and other inflammable items in their shops to avoid fire.
Mrs. Wenegeame called on the businessmen to inform the agency whenever there is any sign of danger in the market for immediate intervention.
She presented an emergency toll free line ‘112’ for quick response from the agencies to the market businessmen.
An official of the Fire Service Supretendent Sarki Abdul-Rahman Informed them of numerous preventive ways of quenching fire outbreaks.
He advised them to avoid constructing extensions within the marked to avoid congestion.
The Secretary of Karmu Market, Mr. Emmanuel Onah who appreciated the sensitization team appealed to the FCT Minister to rebuild the market.
He also appealed for the establishment of a Fire Service sub-station to help during emergencies.
A simulation exercise was carried by the fire service officers on how to quench fire during emergencies.
