UK bails Homa Bay County with fire management equipment

Workington District Council Mayor Lord Barbara Cannon (L) and Homa Bay County Cep Governor Hamilton Orata during the event. [Photo/Courtesy]

Homa Bay County government has received a donation of fire rescue vehicles worth Sh200million from Cumbria County Council in United Kingdom.

The fire appliances were received by Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata and county officials Chris Agong, Eliud Onyango and Richard Bonyo.

The group was hosted by Lord Mayor Barbara Cannon of Workington District Council.  Area commandant fire officer of Cumbria  McVay and station commander Sean Hevey who did the welcome and later formal handover and presentation of the Appliances at the glare of the Cumbria press including the ITV border.

Featuring in the activities was a tour of the station and demonstration of the appliances and equipment by station Commander Sean Hevey.

"We are delighted today to receive the appliances. We are really very pleased to say that this is a very high start for us and its unprecedented. In Homa Bay we have no fire station and we have no fire appliances yet fire incidences are on the rise," said Mr Orata in his acceptance speech.

 "As a small county, we are aware of the huge tasks ahead of us. We must work hard to ensure the safety of our people who are prone to floods and fire havocs, he added further.

Orata tries one of the fire engines. [Photo/Courtesy]

Hevey said that they were keen to offer help to build the fire and Rescue services for Homa Bay through their training facility.

 ‘We are keen to help you set up your fire and Rescue service for the region. We could start by training four of your fire personnel in our training facility you have just toured’.

They added that they are also willing to come all the way to Kenya to show county officials how to use and maintain the fire appliances.

The fire engines have now been transferred to the county government of Homa Bay and will be shipped soon.  The appliances are Volvo FL6 Godiva Hale 2010 pump with 18000 litre-water capacity.

 They have 2 high pressure delivering 2000 litres at 10 bar pressure. They have 6 seats, 4c breathing apparatus and 12 &9 metre ladders on mounted on roof. They have 6 lockers with storage shelves.

The organizers of the trip were Kipnyango seroney of kootab Myoot and Ken Kirkwood of the Rotary club of Workington.

Ken, said, it was a job well done and we all look forward to going to Kenya when the appliances arrive.  Seroney said, it was one of the success stories that he would like to see it repeating.