14 March 2007
BEIRUT: London's Fire Department donated a fire truck to Beirut's Fire Brigade on Tuesday which is to be used as the response vehicle for traffic accidents and rescue calls. "The truck is part of the British government's continuous support for Lebanon and its people," British Ambassador Frances Mary Guy said during a handover ceremony held at the Beirut Fire Brigade's headquarters in Karantina.
Guy said her country had been deploying serious efforts to help in Lebanon's reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the summer 2006 war with Israel.
"Humanitarian and technical aid to Lebanon have surpassed $10 million pounds (about $20 million)," Guy said.
The vehicle was offered to the Beirut Fire Brigade through the Fire Rescue Development Program (FRDP), a European non-governmental organization, which had sent a representative to the capital after the summer war to inspect equipments at the fire department there.
The FRDP representative in Lebanon, Toufic Rizkallah, said at the time that London decided to offer Lebanon a modern rescue vehicle.
The vehicle carries tools to help get people out of car wrecks and other places where they may be trapped. It can generate its own electricity to run lights and electric tools during an emergency.
Acting Beirut and Mount Lebanon Governor Nassif Qaloush, Beirut Mayor Abdel-Monem Aris, and the head of the Fire Brigade, Brigadier Marwan Chidiac, attended the ceremony.
Aris said that the fire truck would operate after the firemen had been given the necessary training.
"We will try to put it at the Lebanese people's service as soon as possible," Aris said.
"A fourth fire department will be opened in Shatila soon, in addition to that in Karantina, Bashoura and Tariq al-Jdideh," Chidiac said.
Qaloush decorated Guy with a medal in respect for her efforts while Chidiac decorated Qaloush, Aris and Rizkallah.
Firemen then performed various training maneuvers, including the extingushing of pre-set blazes on the brigade's grounds. - The Daily Star
