Added boost to Colombo Fire Brigade fleet

By Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

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Seventy-four fire fighters in the rank of firemen have been recruited to augment the strength at the Colombo Fire Brigade to be deployed in the Colombo City limits during an emergency, a spokesman for the Colombo Fire Brigade told the "Sunday Observer".

The new recruits will undergo one year's training at the Colombo Fire Brigade Headquarters in the latest methods of fire fighting, including rescuing persons trapped inside collapsed buildings, training in basic para-medics methods and dealing with hazardous materials found inside buildings. The firemen will be absorbed into the permanent cadre after completion of their training period.

Colombo Fire Brigade Fire Chief, J. Kannangara said thirty recruits will be selected to undergo special training as para-medics at the National Hospital Colombo. The Colombo Fire Brigade has a strength of 500 trained firemen housed at their T.B. Jayah Mawatha Headquarters and at the Special Response Unit (SRU) headquarters at Roxy Road, Wellawatte to respond to any emergency.

The four-storied building of the Special Responsive Unit was constructed with funds from the Netherlands government. Two experts from the Netherlands who arrived in the country trained 33 fighters of the Special Responsive Unit (SRU) a few months ago. Around 30 fire fighters have also undergone advanced training in the Netherlands last year.

The Fire Chief, said that the Colombo Fire Brigade will be equipped to tackle high-rise building fires once they receive a 42-metre high vehicle in November. Meanwhile, the Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry has embarked on a plan to upgrade the fire fighting services in the provinces with funding from the Netherlands government.