THE cumbersome procurement processes as required by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has forced Bulawayo City Council (BBC) to seek a donation of a compressor to charge breathing apparatus sets during fire fighting.
This is revealed in the latest council minutes requesting the local authority to collect a donated compressor for breathing apparatus sets.
According to the minutes, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube notified council of the donated compressor by Operation Florian, a United Kingdom-based organisation founded in 1995 by a group of British fire fighters.
“The town clerk reported that the compressor used by the fire brigade to charge breathing apparatus sets (BA sets) broke down some time ago. Due to the tedious procurement processes, the compressor was then solicited from Operation Florian,” the meeting heard.
“Consequently, Shepherd Ndlovu bought the equipment in the United Kingdom (UK) and donated it to the City of Bulawayo. Operation Florian had organised a consignment for training scheduled for March 2026 in the city.”
The minutes state that preparations for the shipment of the training consignment was at an advanced stage.
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“However, since a consignment for the City of Masvingo was ready, the compressor was then shipped along with the City of Masvingo’s consignment.
“The City of Masvingo advised council that the compressor arrived and was ready for collection. It was, therefore, resolved to recommend that authority be granted to two fire brigade officers to collect the compressor from Masvingo and that council covers all relevant costs in the usual manner,” the minutes read.
Operation Florian has been instrumental in the capacitation of the Bulawayo fire brigade through equipment donation and human resource training.
Recently, Local Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe hailed the partnership between BCC and Operation Florian, a move that will go a long way in dealing with outbreak of fires.
Garwe made the remarks after touring the Bulawayo Fires Station in Famona, Bulawayo.
He said as Zimbabwe marched towards achieving vision 2030, it was pleasing that some local authorities were tapping into the knowledge of organisations from developed nations.
"I understand Operation Florian is bringing new skills in firefighting. This will ultimately improve service delivery in our cities,” he said.
The organisation has over the years donated firefighting equipment.
Garwe said BCC must be the training hub for fire fighters across the country as it was the country’s industrial hub.
BCC is training firefighters from 21 local authorities in the southern region in the operation of fire tenders that were purchased by the government from Belarus under the devolution fund.