The Minister for Local Government, Housing, Environment, Infrastructure and Transport Honourable Parveen Bala handed over a brand new combined aerial platform (ladder fire truck) and two new ambulances to the National Fire Authority (NFA) at a ceremony held at the NFA Head Quarters in Walu Bay, Suva today.

The ladder fire truck and two new ambulances cost Government about $2million and is one of Government’s huge investment in the NFA.

“Government is delighted to fund the purchase of this brand new ladder fire truck which was specially designed and built by Frazer Fire in New Zealand,” Mr Bala said.

“The ladder fire truck is designed to reach some of our tallest buildings in Suva such as Tappoo City, the Reserve Bank and other high rise buildings with the ladder height of 22metres.

“Previously, the NFA had one second hand ladder fire truck which was donated by the Japanese Government and this is the first brand new ladder platform which has ever been purchased by the NFA in its history and I thank the Board for their foresight in such a purchase,”the Minister said.

“For so many years, the NFA was without this important tool. “The purchase of this brand new ladder fire truck will now allow NFA to respond effectively to high rise building fires, especially in the heart of our capital city operating from the Suva Fire Station. “The ladder truck will also greatly boost NFA’s response to commercial and industrial fire since the platform will allow firefighters to be able to fight the fire from an elevator or height,” Mr Bala said.

The Minister highlighted the two brand new ambulance vehicles manufactured in China have been equipped with all the essential ambulance equipment.

“This is indeed another great achievement for the NFA in the ambulance services history as we are now able to expand our ambulance services operations into the two main islands in Viti Levu and Vanua Levu,” Mr Bala said.

“I am grateful that since we commenced the reforms of the NFA in 2012, there has been a great improvement in terms of NFA’s capital development and its response to fire and other emergencies.

“I am confident that the purchase of the ladder fire truck and the ambulance services vehicles will further boost NFA’s capacity to effectively respond to fire and emergency incidents,” Mr Kumar added.

One of the new ambulances will be delivered to the Nausori Fire Station to cater for the ambulance service in the Suva-Nausori corridor while the refurbished ambulance currently being used at the Nausori Fire Station will be transferred to the Labasa Fire Station.

The second new ambulance will be based at the Ba Fire Station while the refurbished ambulance currently being based at the Ba Fire Station will be transferred and be based from the Rakiraki Fire Station to cater for emergencies and road accidents in the Wainibuka-Rakiraki and Tavua corridors.