Firefighters: Husnoo announces the establishment of an academy for the fire service

The Mauritius Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) held a tribute ceremony at the Coromande fire station. A minute of silence was observed on behalf of all MFRS firefighters who have lost their lives since the creation of this service. A special tribute was also paid to a dedicated firefighter, Ajagen Chocalingum, who tragically died a week ago in a car accident.

Anwar Husnoo said: «May 4 is the perfect opportunity for us to recognize the thankless task of firefighters and to recognize and honor their sacrifice so that we can live in a safe environment. It is also an opportunity to pay tribute to all the firefighters who have sacrificed their lives in the service of the community. »

He added that World Firefighters Day allows people to become aware of the bravery, dedication and sacrifices of firefighters, but also to learn more about the job of firefighter, to understand the dangers they all bravely face. every day, and to make people aware of the risks of fire. He also recalled that the government invested heavily during the last fiscal year in terms of vehicles and equipment for the fire services, including several specialized vehicles and communication technology. He then listed the projects that the government intends to implement to modernize these services so that they can offer an even more efficient protection and rescue service.

He thus expressed a request to the Minister of Finance, Renganaden Padayachy, to provide in the next budget for the creation of additional firefighter positions in order to strengthen the existing workforce. The construction of new barracks is also planned, notably at Goodlands, Montagne-Blanche and Jin Fei.

This last barracks will subsequently include a modern mechanical workshop and a Fire & Rescue Training Facility, which will provide specialized training for firefighters. About 16 acres of land have already been identified in Jin Fei for this purpose. «This academy will be a model in terms of excellence, not only for Mauritius, but also for the countries of the region,» he said.

Two new fire stations at Goodlands and Montagne Blanche

Two new fire stations will be built at Goodlands and Montagne Blanche. Announcement made by Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Husnoo, Thursday May 4th. He was speaking at a ceremony organized on the occasion of International Firefighters Day. The construction of the two barracks should begin in the following months.

Anwar Husnoo also reiterated the government's commitment to provide the Mauritius Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) with the necessary financial resources and support for the development of its human potential and the modernization of its physical and organizational structure.

The Quatre Bornes fire station will also be moved to Avenue des Tulipes for better access to the road network and faster intervention.

Highlighting government investments, over the past financial year, to equip the MFRS, Anwar Husnoo spoke about the provision of 20 firefighting and rescue vehicles, including three foam tankers, 13 water pumps mounted on a trailer, a “Hazmat” vehicle, two crane trucks, a “Swift Water” vehicle with inflatable boat, a 55 meter articulated hydraulic platform (AHP) and nine double cabin vehicles. New radio communication equipment is also being procured to upgrade the communication infrastructure of the MFRS, he added.