BOKOBUKA News - National Fire Authority

Volume 2
Issue 11, 2014
BOKOBUKA News
New dorm for Tavua Station PAGE 2
Blue Watch on top PAGE 4
Fire Investigation course ends PAGE 6
Government assistance helps NFA
vehicle fleet.“Government is
always on the lookout to ensure that investments such as
these will continue to bring
about the enhancement of
public service delivery and
this investment will improve
capacity and capability of
NFA Board Chairman Commander Francis Kean handing over fire trucks
keys to Chief Fire Officer Qionilau Moceitai at the Suva Fire Station.
The National Fire Authority
for the effective delivery of its
NFA's resources,” Commander
Kean said.
The NFA takes delivery of
(NFA) bought eight fire trucks- services to the people of this
eight Fire Trucks which were
from the Country Fire Authority nation
funded through Government's
in Victoria, Australia in July.
annual Capital Grant for the
NFA Board Chairman Com-
The NFA Board Chairman
highlighted that with the Gov- Fire Service.
mander Francis Kean speak-
ernment’s endorsement of the
Commander Kean said that
ing during the handing over
necessary reforms in aligning
the fire vehicles will boost the
ceremony of the fire trucks at
the Fire Service to Govern-
total number of Operations
the Suva Fire Station in Walu
ment’s development plans for Fire Trucks from 38 to 48 fire
Bay said the fire trucks builds
economic growth is the need
up capacity and capability
to increase and improve NFA's Stations around the country.
trucks dispatched to the Fire
___BOKOBUKA News Page 2___________________________________________________________________________
Tavua Fire Station Development
Chief Fire Officer, Qionilau Moceitai, cutting the ribbon to open the new Tavua Fire Station dormitory
and dining area.
Tavua Fire Station opened its new dormitory and dining area on July 31.
Chief Fire Officer Qionilau Moceitai
was the chief guest during the opening
ceremony of the new dormitory and
dining area for the Tavua Fire Station.
While opening the new facilities for
the Tavua Fire Station, Mr Moceitai said
the construction of the new dormitory
and the dining area is the important
infrastructure development by the NFA
for its staff.
“Such important development at
NFA ensures that we create an enabling environment not only in our service delivery but also in our capacity
building,” Mr Moceitai said.
The Chief Fire Officer highlighted
that the opening of the Tavua Fire Station new facility is among many important reforms taking place in the NFA.
“The transformation that is currently
taking place at NFA are indicative of
the emergence of new modern and
professional emergency management
service by the NFA.
“NFA also recognizes that its employees are the most important resources
and is committed to creating an environment and work culture that will always promote excellence, innovation,
discipline, trust, loyalty and due recognition for good performance,” Mr Moceitai said.
The upgrade of the accommodation for the fire station was unique since
it was a partnership with the business
community. The business community
donated construction materials required while the labour was provided
by the NFA.
The Chief Fire Officer acknowledged
the Officer-In-Charge Tavua Fire Station and his staff for this innovative approach to improve the standard in the
Tavua Fire Station. The CFO acknowledged the support of the business
community. The effort of the Tavua Fire
team and business community has
challenged other stations to look at
similar ways to support each other.
Meanwhile the opening of the new
dormitory and dining area also coincided with the donation of the second
fire truck to the Tavua Fire Station
which NFA bought from the Country
Fire Authority of Victoria, Australia this
year.
This makes the number of fire appliances Tavua Fire Station has to two fire
trucks serving the Tavua community.
___BOKOBUKA News Page 3___________________________________________________________________________
Tavua Fire Station Development
Chief Fire Officer with guests inside the new dormitory and dining area at the Tavua Fire Station.
Guests and Tavua staff in front of the second fire truck which was bought from the Country Fire Authority, Australia.
___BOKOBUKA News Page 4___________________________________________________________________________
Blue
Watch
tops
Blue Watch won the Navua
Fire Station Family Fun Day
Competition Drill on July 26.
The Navua Volunteer firefighters and their family enjoyed their Family Fun Day
with the three watches
competing in the drill competition.Chief fire officer
Qionilau Moceitai presented
the trophy to the Blue
Chief Fire Officer Qionilau Moceitai presenting the shield to the Blue
Watch for winning the Navua Fire Station Family Fun Day Drill Competition. Watch for winning the Family Fun Day Drill Competition.
Navua firefighters performing their rescue drill during the Family Fun Day Drill Competition.
__ BOKOBUKA News Page 5__________________________________________________________________________
Mrs O’Connor (front) with the CFA Instructors having their lunch at the Rakiraki Fire Station during the Rakiraki Fire Station
Family Fun Day.
Rakiraki Fire Station
Family Fun Day
Rakiraki Fire Station Family Fun Day was
held at the Rakiraki Fire Station on July 12.
NFA CEO John O’Connor, Chief Fire Officer Qionilau Moceitai and Country Fire
Authority, Australia Structural and Vehicle
Fire Investigation Instructors, Nicole Harvey,Geoff Ranzenhofer and Brian Brady
attended the Rakiraki Fire Station Family
Fun Day.
The Family Fun Day is one of the important function at the Fire Station celebrated annually to thank the firefighters
families, friends and the community for
their support to the firefighters.
CFA Instructor Nicole Harvey (left) with Chief Fire Officer
Qionilau Moceitai at the Rakiraki Fire Station.
____BOKOBUKA News Page 6___________________________________________________________________________
Fire Investigation Course participants pictured with NFA CEO John O’Connor at the Novotel Hotel in Lami.
Fire Investigation
course a success
pability.
The course provided the opportunity for the participants
to obtain specialist training in fire investigation along with
obtaining the necessary skills and knowledge to protect
and preserve the fire scene for further investigation, determine the origin and cause of structure and vehicle fires
Fire Investigation officers from Fiji and the Pacific Islands
along with processes to identify and analyse fire trends
underwent Structural and Vehicle Fire Investigation Course
which can assist in the prevention of fires occurring in the
at the Novotel Hotel, Lami in July.
future.
Three Country Fire Authority (CFA) of Melbourne AustraIn addition to the theory subjects, the participants of the
lia Fire Investigation Instructors travelled to Fiji to conduct
course also attended a number of recent structural fire
the one week course from July 14-18.
scenes that had occurred in Suva.
CFA instructors, Nicole Harvey,Geoff Ranzenhofer and
The scenes were examined using the newly-founded
Brian Brady conducted the course.
skills and knowledge that the personnel had obtained
CEO John O’Connor said the Fire Investigation Course
from the course in determining the origin and cause of the
further upgrades fire investigation skills of their fire investifires.
gation officers.
Also as part of the course, participants were showed a
Mr O’Connor thanked all the participants of this course
vehicle fire scenario to demonstrate the fire behaviour
and also acknowledged the support of the Pacific Island
associated with vehicles along with the investigation procneighbours Samoa and Solomon Islands for sending their
ess involved to determine the origin and cause of vehicle
participants to attend this course.
fires.
“We are grateful to the Samoa Fire and Emergency Ser“One of our targets of this course is to complete the fire
vice Authority and the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority
investigation in ten days and this is why this fire investigafor accepting our invitation to attend this course.
tion course is very important to ensure that we meet this
“We also acknowledge CFA’s support for conducting this
target,” Mr O’Connor added.
course in Fiji,” Mr O’Connor said.
Thirty-four NFA staff attended this training course from
“We are thankful to the CFA instructors for conducting
Central/Eastern, Western and Northern Divisions Fire Stathis important course which will further enhance NFA cations.
____BOKOBUKA News Page 7___________________________________________________________________________
Pre-scholars learn fire safety
Pre-scholars and primary school Students, parents and teachers were fascinated by the firefighters as students visited the National Fire Authority (NFA) fire
stations to learn fire safety during the
end of the second term.
School fire safety visit coordinator/
teacher James Royneel said the visit to
the Suva Fire Station was important for
the students.
“This was the first time our students
have visited a fire station and they
have learnt a lot from this visit in terms
of fire safety.
“It is important for children to learn fire
safety and we appreciate the support
of the school management, teachers
and parents in ensuring that their children have awareness on the importance of fire safety,” NFA Chief Executive Officer, John O’Connor said.
During the school visits students were
taught what actions to take to ensure
their safety during a fire. The activities
also included safety tips to prevent a
fire from occurring.
Meanwhile for one particular school
coming all the way from Tailevu, Saint
Vincent Primary School, said their visit to
the Suva Fire Station was an important
Saint Vincent Primary School students at
the Suva Fire Station
one.
Students from classes 1-8 visited the
Suva Fire Station on Tuesday, August 12
and thank the NFA for their valuable fire
safety tips.
“Some of the students have come
from different communities in Tailevu
and the fire safety tips which the students have learn will further create fire
safety awareness in our children and
also they will be the advocates of fire
safety in their respective community,”
Royneel said.
“This was very important for our children as they have now learnt important
aspect of fire prevention and more importantly what to do when the house is
on fire”.
Korotogo Andhra Kindergarten school at the Suva Fire Station during their school visit. The Sigatoka based school came all the
way from Sigatoka to the Suva Fire Station and learn fire safety.
____Sport___________________________________________________________________________
Action between Fiji Bitter National Fire Authority (NFA) and Pacific Agencies Harlequins match in the Suva Rugby Union
RC Manubhai sponsored Escott Shield Premier Grade match. NFA came from behind to draw 22-22 against Harlequins.
Escott Shield
Fire in the quarterfinal
The Fiji Bitter National Fire
Authority (NFA) has qualified for the quarterfinals of
the RC Manubhai Escott
Shield Premier Division
competition.
The side is in impressive
form in the competition.
NFA Manager Joji
Duikoro praised players
performance in the competition.
“Our aim is to win the
competition and we are
O’Connor commended all
happy with the players per- the teams for their performformance.
ance in the competition.
“We are working on our
“The competition is intenstrategies for the quarterfi- sifying and this is what we
nal and also to win the
expect from teams as the
competition,” Duikoro said. knockout stage approaches in the Premier
“For the last two years
and Koroturaga Grade.
we have reached up to
the quarterfinal and this
year our aim is to do better,” Duikoro added.
SRU Chairman John
“We expect teams to
come back strongly for the
quarterfinals,” O’Connor
said.

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