A New Dawn’s investigation establishes that most substations of the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) in Montserrdo County are non-functional due to broken down trucks.A tour by this writer to several Fire Service substations within Montserrado County reveals there are serious logistical constraints facing the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS).
Personnel at some of the substations declined to comment but there are visible evidence the LNFS lacks capacity to promptly respond to any fire outbreak both in the capital and the entire Montserrado.
This paper observes several grounded fire trucks, with many of them lacking spare-parts that could make them operational again.
The issue of fire disasters in Liberia continue to be a serious impediment for the country, which has many residents to loss both lives and personal properties.A concerned resident at Stephen Tolbert Estate in Gardnersville Township, Robinson Wayne, wonders when the Government of Liberia (GOL) will realize the important role the LNFS has to play in fighting fire incidents in the country.
He calls on the government through the Ministry of Finance to give some attention to the Fire Service because it is faced with barrage of challenges.Wayne warns that unless attention is given to the LNFS, situations of fire disasters leading to deaths and destruction would continue unabated.
“Mr. Journalist, look around here, can you see any object like truck that is functional. Leave that alone, let us see how much money that the government has invested not only in the manpower development of the LNFS but also in logistical support to better equip our fire service?” He asks.
The LNFS’ substation in Jacob’s Town, Paynesville has seized to exist because of the lack of equipment.
Similar situation exists in other parts of the country especially, hard-to-reach counties where the logistical constraints are more enormous, including qualified personnel.The substation on Ashman Street, which is considered the main base of the Liberia National Fire Service also lack movable fire trucks and equipment.
During a visitation to Liberia the Fire Chief of the Republic of Ghana, the Government of Liberia was urged to galvanize every available resources at its disposal to support the LNFS to keep residents and the public generally safe from fire disaster.
The Ghanaian Fire Chief pointed out that his country had faced similar challenging situations, but with timely intervention and support by the Government of Ghana, the picture has improved.
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Meanwhile, when the New Dawn visited the relocated headquarters of the Liberia National Fire Service on Newport Street inside the old Ministry of Youth and Sports building, it was informed that the LNFS boss had gone on an official business, while his Deputy Director for Administration Col. Gabriel Nmah, declined to comment on the matter. By Emmanuel Mondaye-Editing by Jonathan Browne
