National Fire Authority (NFA) fire officers are undergoing training to develop collaborative process towards disaster responses.

This would incorporate both rescue and relief in emergency situations.

Twenty-two NFA fire officers from around the country are part of the week-long training.

The training is conducted by the representatives from Kitakyushu Fire and Disaster Management Department from Japan.

NFA acting chief executive officer Mileta Seniroqa said: “This is a follow up training that our officers have undertaken in Japan with Kitakyushu Fire and Disaster Management Department.

“This training will further up skill our fire fighters on the field of fire fighting and disaster management.

“NFA is thankful to JICA for their assistance and enabling our fire fighters to undergo such critical training in Japan and trained by experts,” she said.

Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Hiroyuki Sawada said: “Fire and Disaster Management Department at the Kitakyushu City and the NFA have had a very strong relationship for over 30 years.

“Under this partnership, it has supported the NFA through the provision of various training programmes in Japan.

“From 2010 to 2016, JICA has trained 15 fire fighters under various fire fighting training in Japan,” he said.

Mr Sawada said the NFA fire officers would be trained on disaster risk reduction and natural disasters.

“I understand that there were 147 structural fire and seven fir deaths in Fiji in 2016 and 20 structural fires so far in 2017.

“This is indeed an alarming statistics and urgent and concerted efforts should be taken to address the problem,” he said.

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