By MWIYA MUKUMBUTA –

ACTING Livingstone Town Clerk Levis Mumba has bemoaned the inadequate number of firefighters to help curb fire incidences more effectively.
Mr Mumba said the reduced number of firefighters in Livingstone and around the country was a challenge as it has contributed to the loss of human life and property.
He was speaking in Livingstone yesterday in a speech read for him by Livingstone City Council public relations manager Emmanuel Sikanyika during the official opening of the training course of fire fighters from various parts of Zambia.
The training organised by the Institute of Seamanship Rescue Operations Limited, attracted 25 different fire brigades across the country and would end on November 29.
Mr Mumba said Government could not continue seeing many lives and properties being lost as such, it came up with various training courses to equip firefighters with skills that would enable them effectively handle fires.
He commended the Institute of Seamanship, for coming up with a training programme for the fire firefighters.
He said this was a serious initiative, which would help Government efforts in addressing challenges of rescue, faced by the firefighting teams around the country.
“I wish to call upon the private institutes to come on board and partner with Government through public private partnership in various issues affecting the nation,” he said.
Senior Chief Mukuni of Kazungula, Southern Province, appealed to Government to come up with initiatives which would cater for the various communities through education platforms as they also had a part to play in the prevention and rescue during incidences of fire.