Two firefighting companies from the United States of America (USA) are training firefighters from Kisii and Nyamira Counties on disaster, emergency and rescue operations at a Kisii hotel.
Minnesota based Tetra Investment and fire Rescue and Disaster Management will take the firefighters on basic firefighting skills, community fire prevention, tactical firefighting skill, emergency Medical Treatment (EMT), basic first aid skills, General leadership, Incident Command Systems and Emergency Medical Dispatch.
This is the second time the team is training county workers following Kisii County Governor Ongwae’s visit to Minnesota Fire Department in 2013.
During the current visit, they donated a consignment of disaster and firefighting equipment and firefighting gears that will help the county respond rapidly to emergencies.
Speaking during the opening of the training, the Executive Director Fire Rescue and Disaster Management Mark Lynd and the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Tetra Investment Joshua Isaboke expressed their willingness to continue collaborating with the Kisii County Government to empower the disaster and fire rescue department with skills to combat emergencies.
“We are here following a call by the Governor who has invested heavily on issues related to firefighting and disaster management. We came on invitation by the Governor some years back and we promise to work hand in hand to ensure that our soldiers in the disaster departments are well trained,” said Lynd
The Director and Co-Founder of Tetra Investment, Isaboke said the officers will also be taken through life safety tactics, incident stabilization and proper environmental conservation training.
“I am happy to be part of professionals offering back to my home county through training,’ said Isaboke who is also a trainer on emergency and disaster handling.
Governor Ongwae thanked them for their donations and training saying his administration is committed to ensuring that officers dealing with disaster and emergency have basics given the many disaster cases that the county records.
Ongwae said the county has a state-of-the-art disaster response and training centre which serves the entire Lake Region adding that it procured fire engines with a liquid carrying capacity of 10,000lts and 750lts respectively.
“This means that in case of a fire emergency, the machines can effectively extinguish in one swipe. There is a need to have officers responsible and trained regularly to sharpen their skills,” said Ongwae.
By Frank Akunga
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