Village offices across Mombasa County will be equipped with firefighting equipment, and community leaders will be trained in emergency response, after the County Assembly approved a series of measures aimed at improving grassroots fire preparedness and reducing losses caused by fire outbreaks.
The resolution seeks to strengthen the county's disaster response by empowering communities to act before professional firefighters arrive, particularly in areas located far from existing fire stations where delayed responses have often resulted in deaths, injuries and extensive destruction of property.
The Assembly directed the county executive to roll out a comprehensive fire safety training programme targeting ward and village administrators, community leaders and residents.
Under the resolution, village offices will also receive basic firefighting equipment to enable communities to respond quickly to emergencies.
Speaking during the debate on the motion, Likoni Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Athman Mwamwiri said delayed responses had continued to expose residents to unnecessary losses during fire incidents.
“Many residents live far from fire stations, causing response times to stretch into hours. Equipping communities with basic training and essential firefighting tools could significantly reduce the impact of fire outbreaks,” said Mwamwiri.
The county executive has also been tasked with establishing community fire safety committees and allocating funds for the maintenance of firefighting equipment and regular refresher training to ensure preparedness is sustained.
To improve coordination during emergencies, the county will introduce a dedicated hotline linking village administrators directly to county fire and rescue services for faster reporting of incidents and technical support while firefighters are on their way.
The Assembly further directed the county executive committee member responsible for disaster management to submit quarterly reports detailing the number of officers trained, equipment distributed, and fire incidents managed at the community level before the arrival of the county fire brigade.
During the debate, MCAs cited delayed emergency responses, the absence of fire stations in some wards, water shortages and inadequate firefighting resources as key challenges affecting effective fire response across the county.
They said equipping communities with basic firefighting skills and equipment would help bridge existing gaps in emergency response and minimise the impact of fire disasters.
The Assembly also encouraged residents to undertake household fire safety assessments and adopt emergency exit plans to improve rescue efforts during fire emergencies.
The measures are expected to strengthen community resilience while complementing the work of the county's fire and rescue services.
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