Gaibandha Fire Service Station plagued with multiple problems

The Gaibandha Fire Service and Civil Defense Station that was established in 1962 is now plagued with various problems, including a manpower crisis.

The station has remained as a second-class one since its inception, sources said.

The fire station fights fire with an old vehicle which was abandoned 14 years ago.

According to the Gaibandha Fire Service and Civil Defense Station, in case of any disaster or accident, there is a first tap car with a capacity of 4,300 litres of water at this station, a second tap pump pulling car, an emergency tender (Isuzu) with a capacity of 1,800 litres of water.

There is an ambulance (Toyota) and a towing vehicle (Photon).

Among these cars, the first water-powered car is very old. The car that was scrapped after 25 years of service in Bogura was added to the Gaibandha fire station in 2010. Currently, the car is not usable.

Also, the ambulance is too old to transport accident victims to hospitals for emergency treatment.

The ambulance does not have an emergency oxygen system. Even, though there are five cars in the station, there are not enough drivers to drive those cars.

There is no solution even after several rounds of letters to the authorities concerned asking for necessary equipment, including ambulances and modern cars and new buildings by changing old cars.

As a result, the responsible members of this station are constantly facing challenges in conducting normal activities for the people of Gaibandha.

Also, residential and office activities are going on at risk in a two-storey building and a single-storey building constructed before independence.

There are two two-storey and a single-storey buildings surrounded by brick walls.

On the ground floor of the old two-storey building in front is the station building (garage) and office rooms.

The barracks are located in a single-storey building. Although these two old buildings are painted in bright red colour if you look inside the buildings, you can see the evidence of dangerous conditions.

Day by day, the size and population of Gaibandha town is increasing.

At the same time, business institutions, public-private educational institutions, banks-insurance, offices-courts, and hospitals-clinics are increasing.

The quality of public life is improving here and the numbers of natural disasters and accidents are also increasing.

And for possible rescue operations in all these disasters and accidents, the Gaibandha Fire Service Department needs sufficient number of manpower, vehicles and pumps and adequate equipment.

According to the office of Deputy Assistant Director of the Gaibandha Fire Service and Civil Defence, staff officers, station officers, sub-officers, leaders, drivers, fire fighters, senior assistants-cum-cashiers, office assistants, cooks, assistants are needed for seven upazila stations of the district.

There are 179 sanctioned posts, including cooks, cleaners, but 170 people are working. The remaining nine posts are vacant.

Nasim Reza Nilu, station officer of the Gaibandha Fire Service and Civil Defence, said, "Our first call car was added to the Gaibandha station in 2010. But, the car is currently unusable."

Apart from the emergency tender car, this car is the only water carrier at this station.

Deputy Assistant Director of the Gaibandha Fire Service and Civil Defense Md Zakir Hossain said, "We send a report to the authorities concerned every month, highlighting all the problems, including vacant posts."

But, there is no solution even with several letters. It will be phased.

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