Ekiti Commences Trainings For 153 Newly Recruited Fire Fighters, Paramedics

Ekiti State Government has begun a 5-week training for the 153 fire officers and paramedics who were newly recruited into the service of the State Fire Services department and Paramedics corps.

Flagging off the orientation and training course in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi said his administration is committed to the safety of lives and property of citizens hence the step of recruiting more hands and equipping of the Fire Services department.

The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs Funmi Olayinka said the operations of the Fire Service and the Ambulance Service are key to the state government and this accounts for the reason why the government is developing appropriate manpower and facilities to ensure efficiency.

While recalling a similar training held in February this year on the operations of a modern fire truck donated by his friends to assist the state government, Fayemi stated that the current training would prepare the participants well enough for “rescue missions” during fire outbreaks, road accidents and other emergency services.

He disclosed that 1000 applicants were subjected to written examinations out of which 400 were invited for interview. Of the 400 interviewed, 153 who made the list include 103 fire officers and 50 paramedics.

While appealing to the citizenry to be more security conscious and always alert the Fire Services and Paramedics corps whenever there is an emergency, the Governor hinted that the state government has ordered for 5 fire fighting trucks, 3 back-up water tankers and 6 sophisticated ambulances so that the departments could be well equipped to face emergencies.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wole Olugboji said that 3 existing Fire Stations in the State would be renovated while ambulance bays which would serve as ports for the State Emergency Ambulance services would also be renovated.

Olugboji who stated that the training is aimed at keeping the recruits abreast of the technicalities involved in handling emergencies added that it would also serve  as a medium to sensitize the public on taking precautionary measures against natural and man-made disasters.

He however explained that the recruitment exercise took cognizance of gender as 20 females and 83 males were recruitted for the fire services while 39 females and 190 males were given employment into the Paramedics.

Last modified: September 7, 2012