CDA firefighters tackled 981 fires in 2009

[LahoreEstate]

By Fazal Sher

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management (DEDM) tackled 981 incidents of fires in the year 2009, said CDA spokesman Syed Mustafain Kazmi.

He was talking to the CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi at a meeting here on Wednesday.

Elaborating further, he said that DEDM mobilized its resources well including firefighters, fast moving vehicles and aerial ladders. “Hence it managed to save precious lives and prevent the loss of billion of rupees,” he added.

He said that Directorate’s fire fighting units in some cases recovered victims alive from the collapsed structures even at the cost of their own lives.

Talking about major incidents of fires that took place in the preceding year, he referred to fires that engulfed Marriott in

February, Sajjad Flour Mills in March, Nailore Factory in May and Berger Paints in June. “In all these cases, firefighters responded quickly,” he said emphatically.

He said that in the aftermath of bomb blasts in the twin cities and that of Meena Bazaar in Peshawar, the CDA’ s search and rescue teams played a cardinal role.

“Refresher courses are arranged by the Directorate for crew members on regular basis in order to enhance their capacities to deal with emergencies arising out of any structure catching fire. Mock drills and exercises are also carried out at high-rise buildings for the same purpose,” he informed the chairman.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?pag...010_pg11_8