The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service,Olumode Samuel Adeyemi has called for more public/private partnerships to improve fire safety and infrastructural development.
The Controller-General stated this in Abuja on Friday, during a one-day stakeholders summit and induction of 39 Federal Fire Service Public Relations officers across 36 states as part of activities to mark his one year in office.
In his speech, Olumode said the gathering was not just a summit or an induction ceremony but an event to strengthen the Service, improve fire safety and, importantly, improve how the service will communicate with the people they are committed to protecting. Hence,the theme, “Building a Resilient Fire Service for the 21st Century,” is particularly instructive.
He said: “Nigeria is changing rapidly. Our cities are expanding, industries are growing, infrastructure is becoming more complex and new fire risks are emerging. We therefore cannot continue to approach fire safety exactly as we did in the past. For us, resilience is not only about responding when a fire occurs; it is also about prevention, early detection, professional response, recovery and learning from every experience.”
The Board Secretary, Retired Major General Abdulmalik Jibril presenting the certificate to one of the inductees.
Olumode said for Fire Service to do these jobs more efficiently,it will need the support and collaboration of the private sector.
“This is why collaboration is essential. The Federal Fire Service cannot build national fire resilience alone. Fire safety affects education, housing, industry, transportation, construction, energy, commerce, health, the environment and our communities. We therefore need stronger partnerships where knowledge, expertise, information and resources are shared for the common good.
” Our engagement with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, for example, is focused on strengthening fire safety in tertiary institutions and improving preparedness and compliance.
FOWA President Mrs Olufunke Olumode presenting the certificate to one of the inductees.
” We are also encouraged by community and private-sector participation through initiatives such as the Offa Descendant Association Fire Station, Oyo Town Fire Station, the Idanre Fire Station, Bonny Island Fire Station and the Kugbo Fire Station. These examples demonstrate what is possible when individuals, communities and organisations invest directly in the safety of their people.
” We also need to expand the number of fire stations across the country. Nigeria needs a multiplicity of strategically located fire stations so that emergency response can be brought closer to our communities and response time reduced. I therefore call on individuals and organisations with the capacity to support this effort, particularly our deep-pocket Nigerians, philanthropists, business leaders and corporate organisations, to emulate the good examples of the Offa Descendant Association Fire Station, Oyo Town Fire Station, Idanre Fire Station, Bonny Island Fire Station and Kugbo Fire Station. Establishing or supporting a fire station is not merely philanthropy; it is an investment in lives, property and the safety of our communities.”
While commending the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Rightangle PR for training the officers Controller General urged the 39 newly inducted Federal Service PROs to see their roles as very important in building the right image for the service through the right information.
He said: “A fire incident is not only an operational incident; it is also a communication incident.
“This is much more than issuing certificates. We are professionalising the way the Federal Fire Service communicates with Nigerians. Our PROs must understand strategic communication, crisis communication, media relations, stakeholder engagement, public education, reputation management and the challenges created by misinformation, particularly during emergencies.”Olumode said.
The Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo represented by the Secretary to the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board Retired, Major-General Abdulmalik Jubril commended the Comptroller General’s initiative in repositioning the service in the past one year.
He said:” Within the past one year,we have seen renewed attention to staff welfare,operational development,the promotion of 2600 officers,training of 700 Cadets firefighters,the rehabilitation of over 40 fire equipments and utility vehicles as well as stronger partnerships with private organiaations across the country. This is due to having a leadership which is focused on building a stronger and resilient and better Federal Fire Service.
The inductees with the CG and the top management staff of the Federal Fire Service
” To our newly inducted PR officers,today marks the beginning of a huge responsibility.You have been entrusted to promote the image of the Federal Fire Service.Carry this responsibility with discipline,honesty and integrity. Listen to the people, understand the communities where you work and communicate appropriately and adequately especially during emergencies. Remember the message you put out represent the service.Talk about your achievements and do not hide your challenges. Tell the story of Federal Fire Service truthfully and responsibly.” Major-General Jibril said.
Corroborating this, the President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations Dr Ike Neliaku, said the Federal Fire Service must be deliberate and intentional about the information it sends out to the public.
He said; “Communication today ,is taken into Algorithms.Algorithims is what is sent into the cloud / Internet space.So,it is what you feed it with, that comes when people are looking for information about the Fire Service. That is why it is important what you are doing today. Training Federal Fire Service officers in public relations will help you run your reputation and send out deliberate information. Communication is a deliberate effort and if you don’t make that deliberate effort, people will tell your stories for you.” Neliaku said.
The inductees taking their oath of office
He therefore called for the establishment of a Federal Fire Service public relations Corps to further strengthen communications in the service.
Speaking on the the topic”Strategic Communication: A catalyst for Fire safety, public Trust and National Resilence, guest speaker and General Secretary, African Public Relations Association (APRA) Dr Omoniyi Ibietan said the FFS must always feed it’s messages through other channels like the social media as well.
He said:”While you are going to the media to send out Press Releases, your website and social media channels are very important channels to disseminate as well. The only challenge is while you can recall Press Releases from a media house, whatever you send through your social media handles goes into the archives hence the need for trained professionals like you are doing now to send out the right information.So, you need to be careful and intentional about what you are saying. So, whatever you say,be sure you mean it.” Ibietan noted.
