The United Kingdom-based humanitarian organisation Operation Florian team is back in Zimbabwe as they embark on an intensive two-week-long phase 9 training mission for local firefighters.
The team which is led by volunteers Anthony Burscough, Shephard Ndlovu, Mark Brisco and Stephen Snape arrived on Saturday, December 3.
According to Operation Florian, the team is already in full swing delivering training and distributing donated equipment including three fire appliances which are due to arrive by the end of the week.
“The two-week intensive training programme will include refresher Breathing Apparatus, Ladder and pump Training, Refresher Road Traffic Collision Training, Hazmat, Risk assessment, Leadership, Command, Equipment Maintenance and Servicing, Community Fire Safety, Technical Fire Safety, Train the Trainer and first aid Skills,” said Operation Florian.
“Much of our work concentrates on disaster re-building work, helping to assist and support communities to improve their firefighting and rescue infrastructure and provide a progressive move towards normality and stability of their emergency services. Enabling them to meet the needs and demands placed on them by the communities they serve.
“The success of such projects can only be achieved by working in partnership in an atmosphere of trust and co-operation. We have a tried and tested model of operation and it is this model that we see demonstrated here in Bulawayo,” said the organisation.
This partnership with the Bulawayo City Council started to develop in 2009 and in 2011 the first phase took place. In 2022, the partnership enters its 9th Phase of training undertaken by Operation Florian personnel in Bulawayo.
This partnership has resulted in Operation Florian being able to send two containers of equipment and three fire engines in 2022 to Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Brigade.
Within the containers of donated materials was equipment for the Bulawayo Ambulance Brigade. This donated equipment by Operation Florian is vital for the training and then for the emergency personnel to use it on completion of the training.
Operation Florian in 2022 has also donated two containers of equipment and four fire engines to Harare Fire Brigade. Chinhoyi and Masvingo also received donated fire engines from Operation Florian.
