In order to address the state’s fire emergency, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday dedicated an improved headquarters and three newly built fire stations.
The three freshly built stations are located at Ebute Elefun, Oniru, and Ajegunle, while the rebuilt fire service headquarters is in Alausa, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the government’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of the locals was fulfilled by the building and inauguration of the stations, which were conducted in Ikeja and Ebute Elefun.
More fire stations, according to him, would provide an efficient and prompt response to any statewide fire crisis.
He claims that two years ago, gaps responsible for restricting the efficacy of all First Responders’ emergency reactions were discovered in a performance evaluation study of all First Responders.
”Our response to these identified gaps was not only proactive but very strategic, as we developed a road map that will address them and reposition the agencies for optimum performance.
”Specifically, one of the challenges identified was the inadequate fire stations for a growing state such as ours. As we all know, a fire outbreak is an emergency that can only be prepared for, but the time, speed, and scale at which it will happen cannot be pre-determined.
”This is where response time is critical as it can make a lot of difference between life and death.
”Therefore, to enable fire responders to reduce the distance and overcome other unplanned encumbrances on the way to the fire scene, the idea of having at least one fire station in each of the twenty local government areas of the state was conceived.
”To this end, contracts for the construction of six new fire stations in different parts of the state were awarded. Three out of these six fire stations that have been completed along with their headquarters are being commissioned and handed over today,” he said.
The governor said that the completion and delivery of the final three stations at Ijede, Kosofe, and Ijegun will occur before May 2023.
He said that because proximity to incident locations was so important to rescue and safety operations, the building of additional fire stations would enable a speedier response to the scene of crises within their specific area of coverage.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the sooner the fire was put out, the less harm it would do to persons and property.
The governor urged citizens to take ownership of the new and refurbished fire stations and assure their safety from assault or destruction. This was especially important for those who lived close to the stations’ sites.
”They are provided with your taxes. They are your properties. Please protect them,” he said.
The event, according to Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, the Lagos State Governor’s Special Advisor on Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, was a turning point in the process of rebranding and repositioning the state fire and rescue agency for better service.
According to Ogunlende, the necessity for additional fire stations was developed to solve the problem of distance and improve the Service’s reaction time.
The goal, according to him, was to localise the location of fire service stations inside each of the state’s 20 Local Government Areas.
”With the huge investments made by the Sanwo-Olu administration in this sector, I am confident that Lagosians will begin to experience improved services from the fire and rescue service.
”I am also convinced that the officers are ready to justify the confidence reposed in the service by the administration,” the SA said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, stated that the anticipated population of more than 1,353,600 people will be served by the new station at Ebute-Elefun.
According to Adeseye, the Oniru station will serve more than 1,579,200 people, while the Ajegunle station would serve an estimated 2,256,000 people.
The opening of the fire station, according to Oba Gbolahan Lawal, the Oniru of Iruland, Lagos, was evidence of Gov. Sanwo Olu’s administration’s dedication to safeguarding the lives and property of the locals.
Iru Kingdom and its surroundings have long had to rely on the fire stations in Chevron and Marina for emergency response, according to Lawal.
He applauded the governor for sanctioning the construction of a contemporary fire station in Iruland and making use of the land that the late Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru left to the state government in 2011.
According to him, a well-prepared community may significantly impact situations and contribute to lifesaving.
Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area Chairman Mrs. Rashidat Adu advised locals to always be aware of their safety in her remarks.
Adu asked market patrons to always remember to turn off all electrical appliances when the market is closed in order to prevent fires, injuries, and damage to property.
