TUKUYU: THE Rungwe District Fire and Rescue Department has received a new fire truck from the central government, which will be used for firefighting and rescue operations.
The truck was handed over to the Chairman of the Security and Safety Committee and the District Commissioner of Rungwe, Jaffar Haniu, by the Mbeya Regional Fire and Rescue Commander, Malundo Ngata.
Speaking during the handover, Ngata said the truck is a vital resource that will help address the challenges caused by the lack of firefighting services in the district. “This truck has two main functions: first, it can extinguish fires, and second, it can carry out rescues. It is equipped with tools that, in addition to firefighting, allow us to conduct rescue operations because, as we know, accidents occur frequently on the roads. It will therefore help us save lives,” Ngata said.
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Receiving the truck, Haniu noted that the district has often lacked timely firefighting services due to the previous truck being out of service. “We have been calling for a replacement for a long time since the old truck broke down, and repairs were taking too long. Our main promise is to ensure that this truck is well maintained so it can continue to perform its planned duties,” Haniu said.
He added, “We are all witnesses to the many fire incidents that occur. Without a local truck, we had to request assistance from Mbeya town; the distance of more than seventy kilometers caused delays in serving the public, and properties were destroyed.”
Meanwhile, Mbeya Special Seats Member of Parliament, Suma Fyandomo, thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for responding to the concerns of Rungwe residents by providing a modern, fully equipped fire truck.