PNG Fire Service

The training syllabus will be a uniform training guide to be used in all fire stations around the country, to ensure they are speaking the same language.

Chief Fire Officer, Bill Roo said they had conducted trainings without vital resources like a syllabus or a guide, but now for the first time they had produced their own syllabus containing nine training modules.

Roo thanked the Business Development Manager, Jeffrey Wama for taking the lead in developing the training guide. This complies with the requirements that any training provider is required to have in place. 

The truck is donated by AutoZeal International Limited. Its CEO, Bernard George, made the presentation to the PNG Fire Service.

The new fire truck is the second donated by Auto Zeal Company. It is expected to further improve fire responses with its modernized inbuilt water supply and more.

The keys to the new truck were delivered by Chief Executive Officer, Bernard George, to PNG Chief Fire Officer, Bill Roo at the graduation ceremony of 41 new fire fighters.

The workshop included participants from the East New Britain Provincial Government, PNG Power, Water PNG, Police and relevant partners.    

Chief Fire Officer Bill Roo said the purpose of the workshop was to get the views of partner agencies, business houses, provincial authorities, insurance companies and architects on the current Act. 

Roo said it is one of four regional stakeholder consultation workshops which the fire service is carrying out in centres across the four regions.

Each fire truck costs K1.5 million and is fully kitted to service both fire calls and road accident rescues in Port Moresby and the provinces. Three fire trucks will be used in Port Moresby and the other two will be transported to Wabag and Kundiawa through the proposition for new fire stations at these locations.

Enga and Chimbu governors have collaborated with the PNG Fire Service, through an MoU, and have paid for shipment of the fire trucks to their provinces.

Building the capacity of the PNG Fire Service broadens the element of safety and security during the monumental event.

The six fire trucks have been donated through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects.

The vehicles have been reconditioned and are of compact size, which ensures easy parking and can easily move through Port Moresby’s roads and through narrow crowded streets to reach the scene of the fire; an essential element in fire-fighting.

The fire, which began around 1:30pm yesterday, spread quickly as a strong breeze aided it in its destruction.

Two families living behind the main warehouse of the old stationery shop were caught off guard as the fire quickly spread, forcing them to take out all valuables.

The Waigani PNG Fire Service attended but it was a futile attempt as the fire destroyed the front shop and warehouse  and quickly spread to the last building.

They are recipients of Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects under Japan’s Official Development Assistance Programme in PNG.

They funds are to support the improvement of basic education as well as disaster prevention measures in PNG.

His Excellency Satoshi Nakajima, Ambassador of Japan to PNG, officiated in the signing of four grant contracts with representatives from PNG Fire Service, Semedagoda Primary School in the Central Province, St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School and St. Peter Chanel Primary School in NCD.

Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Kevin Isifu, announced in Parliament last week that this is part of the upgrade to ensure the service is prepared to deal with fires.

Isifu said many homes were lost due to fires however, the Fire Service lacked the support to deal with the issue.

“Considering that APEC and other important meetings are coming up, the Government is set to getting and re-fleeting trucks all around our country.

“We are ready to bring in 22 new fire trucks to replace and re-fleet the rundown trucks around the country.

Ironically what would have been saved on Friday morning in the province's worst fire disaster could not be done, simply because of this outstanding issue.

Manus Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector, David Yapu confirmed that 10 Chinese people perished in the fire.

"The 10 that were burnt to death in the fire were six females and four males."

PPC Yapu said the fire started at about 3am on Friday (Sept 22) and spread quickly to other parts of the Splendid Star Supermarket, and to the bedroom where the 10 Chinese nationals were sleeping.

“The fire may have started through carelessness or accidentally,” acting Chief of Fire Service, Bill Roo, stated this during a media conference this morning.

He told the media that based on witness statements and findings, fire investigators have identified where the fire started.

However, conclusively they could not say what exactly started the fire because most of the evidence were completely destroyed due to the intensity of the fire.