Siem Reap town rolls out two-wheeled fire engines
SIEM Reap provincial authorities have equipped several police motorcycles with fire extinguishers. Seven motorcycles – some used on patrol and others stationed at busy locations – will each be equipped with two extinguishers to ensure a rapid response should a fire break out.
Siem Reap provincial traffic police chief Som Virak said there have been car accidents which resulted in fires, sometimes destroying market stalls. In other cases, the traffic police had been first on the scene to small fires but unable to offer assistance other than directing traffic. These examples illustrated how this new initiative could prevent fires from spreading, he said.
This is the first time that firefighting equipment has been mounted on motorcycles, he said, adding that so far they would only be deployed in Siem Reap town.
“Traffic police are almost always the first on the scene in any emergency and patrol everywhere, so this makes sense. When we are alerted to a fire, we will be quick to respond. Hopefully we will be able to prevent small fires from becoming large ones,” he said.
Virak said the extinguishers belonged to the Siem Reap provincial police and that the initiative came from the provincial
police chief, without the assistance of donors. Should there be donations from outside sources, the practice would be expanded to district level.
In order for police officers to use the equipment effectively, officials from the provincial police’s Fire Prevention and Rescue Bureau conducted a March 15 hand-on training on correct storage and handling of the extinguishers.
“As police officers, we have a basic understanding of how to employ them, but we wanted to invite the experts – to ensure our skills are exceptional. Now, should a fire break out, we will
respond immediately,” he said.
Rin Daveth, a resident of Siem Reap town, said it was a good idea to equip police motorcycles with fire extinguishers because they form an effective rapid response unit.
“Small canisters of cooking gas sometimes explode and cause small house fires that can easily spread to neighbouring homes. It is very important to make sure fires are put out as early as possible. Besides, police officers are often the first to arrive at the scene of any emergency, so equipping their bikes with extinguishers is a great idea,” he said.