Sonko to cool fire headache with these new 26 engines – VIDEO
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has unveiled 26 fire engines to boost emergency response in the city.
Each of the 17 sub-county in Nairobi will be allocated a fire engine.
Gikomba Market, perennially the venue of huge fires, would be allocated two fire engines that will be on standby round the clock.
“The 26 firefighting engines we are launching today will go a long way in curbing fire situations that have been witnessed in the recent past resulting in serious destruction of business premises, loss of lives and properties.
“It will also put to rest concerns that the previous county governments had failed to acquire firefighting equipment despite numerous fire tragedies in Nairobi,” said Mr Sonko when the engines were unveiled outside City Hall on Monday.
NEW ACQUISITIONS
Before the new acquisitions, City Hall had ten fire engines, four of which are second-hand donated last year August by the Japanese government at a tune of Sh200 million.
“In order to ensure that all Nairobi City County residents benefit from these fire engines, each sub-county shall be allocated one fire engine while Gikomba Market will be allocated two fire engines on standby 24 hours a day,” he said.
The 26 fire engines were bought as part of a partnership with Somati Vehicles NV, a project which begun in 2009 under the past regime but was never fully implemented.
Governor Sonko also said City Hall has come up with a master plan that will see the construction and equiping of fire sub-stations with vehicles and equipment.
At the same time, Sonko announced that the county shall recruit 300 young firefighters to replace the current staff that is due for retirement by the end of the year.