Police officers have completed a 4 months specialized training in firefighting and prevention.

The function was presided over by the Chief of Joint Staff, AIGP Jack Bakasumba, who congratulated the officers for the reasonable efforts in the course.

He noted that the course comes at the right time, putting the officers  in a right position to handle challenges related to fire,  with confidence in execution of tasks related to firefighting.

He urged them to be disciplined and promised to present the challenges affecting the directorate before the police management and also called upon the officers to handle the equipment at hand with care.

AIGP Joseph Mugisa, the Director Fire and Rescue Services, said during the skills exhibited by trainees during the passout showed training acquired and what they can do in the event of need. “As you all know fire and rescue services require a prepared mind, a prepared soul, requires skills to save body and determination and skills to put out a fire, knowledge to effect a rescue in an intricate situation and that’s what we trained them to do using high tech equipment, and ordinary but useful equipment to save a life by effecting a rescue,” AIGP Mugisa said.

During the four months, trainees were equipped with skills in escapement rescue, managing oil spillage, tackling a very complicated fire problem like a bulk petroleum storage installation, and firefighting in an air craft.

AIGP Mugisa reminded developers that put up hotels, shopping arcades, office building to be conscious of fire safety requirements and fire protection requirements of a building by realising that not a single building worthy its name is immune to a fire outbreak.

“Fire or any emergency can strike in any building of whatever name and nature. Therefore, the aspect of fire prevention and protection is critical and I appeal  to any developer to liaise with any fire station nearest to you for technical guidance, to be guided on inclusion of fire protection systems in your building.

I would like to assure the public that the fire service setup is arranged to respond immediately to emergencies. There is no time when the fire service can respond without the requisite ammunitions and that ammunition is water. The, I request town councils, municipals, to ensure that buildings that are developed are developed based on approved plans and that plan must have a very big component of fire protection and safety of the occupants. Fire hydrants should be in place and maintained,” he noted.

On training, he said the directorate will continue training officers for purposes of enhancing human capacity and spread out to cover most parts of the country so that fire services are brought nearer to the people.