Cities poorly equipped to handle disasters

The lack of the vital emergency reaction equipment spells doom for property investors and residents of the country’s various municipalities.
Rural district councils and smaller satellite towns do not have fire fighting equipment and have to rely on the major cities — a dependence that has put a severe strain on the limited resources.

The cities and towns do not have vital equipment like fire tenders, turntable ladders, command vehicles, rescue pump sets, breathing apparatus and fire proof clothing.

Mayors and town clerks confirmed in separate interviews on the sidelines of the just-ended Zimbabwe Local Government Association conference in Mutare that their councils were under-equipped.

Only Bulawayo confirmed its emergency reaction services were in order.
Bindura town clerk Mr Shangwa Mavesera said the city responded to emergencies in the whole Mashonaland Central province.
“We only have two limping fire engines.
“Ideally we should have three properly working fire tenders,” Mr Mavesera said.

He said because Bindura was a mining town that experiences mine-related disasters, there was a need to fully equip the emergency services department.

“We have been appealing to central Government to take over the fire department or alternatively the Civil Protection Unit to shoulder the bill,” he said.

Chitungwiza municipality has no working fire tenders.
Town clerk Mr George Makunde confirmed the council’s incapacity to deal with major disasters.
“We are normally assisted by Harare.

“Our two fire tenders are not working,” he said.
The council requires six fire tenders and four ambulances.
Chegutu town clerk Mr Alex Mandingo said the city used water bowsers when reacting to fires.

“The one fire tender we have uses hydrants but that facility is not available. We are incapacitated,” he said.
He said Chegutu’s area of operation extended to Zvimba and Norton.

“We normally rely on the Airforce of Zimbabwe and Kadoma city for support,” he said.
Mr Mandingo said his council budgeted for the equipment but could not buy because of the poor budget performance.

Masvingo Mayor Cllr Femias Chakabuda said the city was failing to cope with demand for ambulance services especially from new settlements on Victoria Ranch where young couples predominantly stay.

The city had two working ambulances and required two more.
He said the city’s fire equipment was in bad shape taking into consideration the huge area covered outside the city.
“We cover a bigger geographical area.
“We go up to Bubi River along the Beitbridge-Masvingo highway and up to Devule River on the Mutare Road. We also go as far as Mvuma,” he said.

He said if one of the two fire tenders went out of the city the provincial capital got exposed.
Cllr Chakabuda said local authorities should therefore create a relationship with the Zimbabwe National Army because “when there is no equipment the army has methods that civilians do not have”.

Mutare town clerk Mr Obert Muzawazi said the city did not have appropriate disaster management equipment while its employees were not properly trained in disaster management.

“The two fire tenders that we have can only carry 1 500 litres of water yet the required amount is 3 000 litres,” he said.
He said Mutare was on bad terrain that was prone to fatal accidents. The city services the whole of Manicaland province.
“We need proper rescue equipment for accidents in the mountains,” he said.

However, Bulawayo mayor Cllr Thaba Moyo said the city had excess fire equipment.
“Ideally we require nine but we have 12. We are comfortable and safe,” he said.

He said the city had enough ambulances as well. Bulawayo has benefited immensely from its twinning arrangement with the city of Aberdeen in Scotland.

The fire tenders were donated by the city and its partners.
“We can cover Matebeleland North and South, Midlands and Masvingo,” he said.
Cllr Moyo said Bulawayo was ready to assist any city with its equipment.

Gweru mayor Cllr Tedious Chimombe said the city’s rating in terms of equipment availability was poor.
He said Gweru responded to disasters along major highways leading in and out of the city.
Out of the three fire stations in the city only one was working.

The ability of the cities and towns to resource their emergency services departments has been hard hit by sanctions that have made it impossible for Zimbabwe to trade and receive support from institutions like the World Bank.

At times emergency services have been called where a fire has occurred only to arrive without enough water.