KCC launches community fire-fighting system

KHULNA, Oct 18: Administrator of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Nazrul Islam Manju inaugurated the installation of a community-led fire-fighting system, including fire hydrants, at Joragate CDC in the city on Saturday.

The system is being installed under the Livelihoods Support for Urban Poor Communities in Bangladesh project, implemented under the supervision of KCC with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and financial support from the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).

With a water storage capacity of 30,000 litres, the community-led fire-fighting system will have four distribution points. Of the total capacity, 5,000 litres of water will be available for daily use by community members, while the remaining 25,000 litres will be reserved for immediate use in firefighting emergencies.

As part of the initiative, 20 community volunteers will also receive training to operate the installed equipment and ensure its prompt use during emergencies.

During the inauguration, Manju thanked UNDP and the CIDCA for their support. He also highlighted the benefits of the initiative and urged local beneficiaries to learn about the system and participate in volunteer training to help tackle fire-related emergencies.

KCC Chief Executive Officer Razib Ahmed, Chief Planning Officer Abir Ul Jabbar, community leaders Shahanara Parvin, Hasina Begum and Piyara Begum, along with officials of KCC and the project, were present at the event.