Thirty-five firefighter recruits pass-out at Royal Fiji Navy’s Naval base in Togalevu today after completing eight weeks training. 

NFA Board Chairman Commander Francis Kean who was the chief guest at the pass-out parade congratulated all the recruits for successfully completing the relevant indoctrination training.

Commander Kean said that the firefighting service is an important agency in our country and the new recruits are in the business of protecting properties and saving lives.

“The risks associated with a firefighting career are demanding and challenging.

“The citizens of this country will always look up to you for unrelentness commitment to duty at all the times.

“The Government is committed to ensuring that all Fijians have accessible to an effective and efficient service and the NFA is on the path to implementing the necessary strategies to ensure that we deliver these services on behalf of the Government.

Commander Kean thanked the Government for its initiatives in supporting the reforms at the NFA.

“The reforms are for the good of all staff at the NFA and most importantly to support improvements in our service delivery to the citizens of our country.

“Emergency response is now becoming an essential and crucial service to the communities in Fiji and the people of Fiji have a right to an effective and efficient emergency service.

“Further, the assistance of Government this year will see the expansion of the emergency ambulance services to the western and Northern Divisions of Fiji and the purchase and installation of 282 fire hydrants in densely populated and high risk areas.

“The $2.5 million provision to cover for these capital investments will enhance the Authority’s role for better service delivery.

“The review of the 1994 National Fire ACT has commenced with preliminary discussions already undertaken with the selected legal consultants.

“The gist of this review is to incorporate the additional responsibilities that Government has bestowed upon the Authority. This amongst many includes the review of the NFA boundary.

“Currently this is restricted to the City and Town boundaries of our two main islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Ovalau and Taveuni. The call for a more holistic coverage of the two main Islands including the islands of Rotuma, Lakeba and Kadavu are areas identified to increase NFA services and coverage”.