Nust to introduce fire fighting course
THE Bulawayo City Council is in talks with the National University of Science and Technology with the intention of introducing a degree programme specifically targeted at fire and rescue services.
The local authority’s fire and rescue services has further engaged the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development to have their fire and rescue training institution being certified by the Higher Education Examination Council.
Speaking on the sidelines of a training workshop of fire and rescue officers held at Famona Fire Brigade last week, Bulawayo Fire and Rescue Services senior divisional officer, Mr Edward Mpofu said they had put in place a special committee tasked with coming up with a special curriculum together with Nust that will see the creation of either a diploma or a degree in fire and rescue services.
“This is one strategy we are working on to see to it that we improve fire and rescue services in the country. There is a committee already in place which includes officials from the Bulawayo City Council, Nust and academics with the hope of having a special programme on fire and rescue at the institution.
“What we have said is that even in the short term we can have certificates done here at our training school to be certified by Nust. However, in the same vein we have also engaged the Higher Education Ministry to see to it that our certificates are also recognised by them,” said Mr Mpofu.
Meanwhile, the local authority this year spread their annual training facility beyond borders after they included officers from Lobatse Fire Brigade in Botswana. The training which is being conducted by officers from Operation Florian, a UK-based humanitarian charity saw more than 100 students participating in the five-day long programme, which had seven different courses.
Operation Florian is a humanitarian charity based in the United Kingdom. The charity is a non-profit-making and non-political organisation, which focuses on assisting fire and rescue services, and ambulance service providers throughout the world who need assistance and support.
Apart from the Lobatse team, the training also included officers from Mutare, Kadoma, Bindura, Harare, Hwange, Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Kwekwe, Plumtree, Masvingo, Gwanda and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.
Responding to questions from Sunday News Bulawayo council spokesperson Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said the partnership between the local authority and Operation Florian was to date valued at more than $2,5 million with trainers dedicating 32 000 hours in student training.
“The partnership has been running for eight years with the current mission being the seventh phase of the partnership. The estimated value of vehicles, equipment and materials donated by the charity to date is over $2,5 million and 32 000 hours in student training by end of 2017.
“We realise that because of the trainings our neighbouring Fire Services operational capabilities have also improved in the past years through donation of fire engines, firefighting and rescue equipment, personal protective equipment, clothing and training of personnel. Bulawayo has further benefited in that Gweru, Gwanda, Zvishavane, Victoria Falls and Plumtree are responding to emergencies occurring along their respective major highways that link to Bulawayo resulting in reduced pressure on the Bulawayo Emergency Services resources,” said Mrs Mpofu.