Bureau for Special Duties, Fire Service Inspect Fire-Prone Facilities Across Delta

By Stella Agbeyeke

The Bureau for Special Duties and the Delta State Fire Service Command have commenced the monitoring and inspection of fire-prone facilities across the State as part of efforts to strengthen fire prevention, enforce safety compliance and enhance emergency preparedness.

The monitoring exercise was led by the Honourable Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Hon. Etacherure Ejiro Terry, alongside management staff of the Bureau, the Controller of the Delta State Fire Service Command, Dr. Eugene Oziwele, and other fire officers.

The team visited several fire-prone facilities, including Total Energies Oil Blending Plant, Optima Energy, Ebenco Global Links and Zamson Global Resources in Koko. The team also inspected Rain Oil and other tank farms along the River Ethiope Bank in Oghara, as well as tank farms in Warri.

During the inspection, Commissioner Terry stressed the importance of functional fire safety equipment, including sprinklers, ground monitors, fire hydrants, water storage facilities and backup pumps, describing them as critical infrastructure that must not be taken for granted.

He noted that Government alone cannot provide all the resources required to guarantee zero fire disasters across the State. He therefore posited that operators of the facilities and oil companies operating within the same geographical areas could jointly invest in fire trucks and other essential firefighting equipment to support the efforts of the State Fire Service Command in serving the companies and host communities in the event of an emergency.

According to him, having firefighting equipment close to areas with a large concentration of oil and other fire-prone facilities could significantly reduce response time and help prevent minor incidents from developing into major disasters.

The annual inspection, according to the State Controller of the Delta State Fire Service Command, Dr. Eugene Oziwele, is a statutory responsibility of the Command.

Oziwele explained that the exercise is designed to enable the Fire Service to assess fire-prone facilities across the State, ascertain their level of compliance with established safety regulations, and ensure that their fire prevention and response systems remain effective.

He also reminded the companies of their obligation to pay the appropriate fire safety revenues to the Delta State Government.

According to him, regular monitoring is necessary because fire safety cannot be treated as a one-off exercise. He stressed that facilities must continually maintain their equipment, train their personnel and ensure that their emergency response plans remain functional.

He further opined that in a State like Delta State, where oil and gas facilities operate alongside communities, effective fire safety requires a shared commitment involving government agencies, companies, workers and residents.

The management teams of the facilities visited expressed appreciation to the Delta State Government and the Fire Service Command for their efforts towards ensuring the safety of residents and properties domiciled in the State.

They described the exercise as important in helping companies identify areas requiring improvement and strengthening their preparedness for possible fire emergencies.

They equally assured the Government that they would continue to comply with safety regulations and maintain the necessary measures to protect their facilities, workers and surrounding communities.