DBL Group, GIZ to establish Mini-Fire Brigade

A Cooperation Agreement has been signed between DBL Group and The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit Bangladesch (GIZ) to jointly establish a Mini-Fire Brigade.
The signing ceremony was held on Wednesday in Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Training Complex, Dhaka. The Agreement was signed by Mr. M.A. Rahim, Vice-Chairman and Group CEO of DBL Group; Mr. Olaf Handloegten, Director GIDRM and Dr. Jochen Weikert, Program Coordinator PSES II on behalf of GIZ, said a press release.
The objective of the Mini-Fire Brigade- Rapid Response and Risk Reduction Unit is to prevent fire in industrial buildings around Kashimpur, Gazipur area. The Rapid Response Unit (Mini Fire Brigade) will be located outside Jinnat Complex of DBL Group which will also serve the other factories located in the Konabari industrial cluster.
DBL Group will provide land, a suitable construction for the Mini-Fire Brigade and personnel. The Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense will undertake the initiative to organize training for volunteer fire fighters and provide infrastructure support. GIZ will facilitate the procurement of fire-fighting equipments.
A Rapid Response Unit is an independently operating tactical unit with a ten person crew and one vehicle. The facility will be staffed 24 hours a day with a target to respond within the first critical 10-15 minutes to both industrial fire and building collapses. The Rapid Response Unit team will work to keep fires within narrow limits and save lives until additional fire- fighting units enter the scene. The main challenge for the state run fire fighting stations is to respond quickly to the incidents due to lack of sufficient numbers of fire stations and traffic congestion. Therefore, a Rapid Response unit can respond professionally within the critical first 10 - 15 minutes after the fire is detected or a building collapse occurs.
To mark this special signing event, other distinguished guests present were Magnus Schmid, Program Coordinator, GIZ; Maurice L. Brooks, Fire Safety Expert, ILO; Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan, Director General, BFSCD and Major AKM Shakil Newaz, Director Operation, BFSCD.