The Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Services on Sunday received new firefighting equipment from a United Kingdom-based agency, Operation Florian.
Operation Florian is a UK agency that provides firefighting training and material assistance to needy countries throughout the world.
To date, the agency has donated equipment to Bosnia, Ecuador and Croatia.
The donation follows an appeal by a former Bulawayo resident, Shepherd Ndlovu, now living and working as a lecturer in fire safety engineering in Lancashire.
“I work for a company that produces firefighting equipment and felt it necessary to bring the Operation Florian team down to Bulawayo to assist and equip my city’s fire services,” Ndlovu said Operation Florian team leader Tony Burscough, who has worked as a firefighter for 29 years, said Bulawayo’s fire services had well-maintained but aged equipment.
“The fire service staff have shown a great level of skill and they have managed to quickly familiarise themselves with the new equipment,” said Burscough.
The donation included a new fire engine, 30 pieces of breathing apparatus, fire hoses, protective firefighting uniforms and various tools that are used in motor vehicle accident situations.
