Kirinyaga county ultra-modern fire station to be completed by end year
The upcoming ultra-modern fire station at Kutus Town, Kirinyaga County is projected to be complete by the end 2022. The fire station comes as great relief to the people of Kirinyaga who have had no proper fire station, a situation that has led to firefighters operating from makeshift structures which hinders proper disaster response and management.
Governor Anne Waiguru has said that the station is among the ongoing project whose completion her administration is fast tracking. She said that the station is expected to take care of the growing needs brought about by urbanization in the county especially in the fast-growing Kerugoya-Kutus Municipality. Waiguru said that the ongoing project which is 50% done, will not only comprehensively cater for the fire department’s needs but has also been a source of employment for local residents who are working at the construction site. Once completed, the station will also create room for expansion of fire and disaster management department and therefore recruitment of additional staff.
She noted that once complete, the new fire station will have a fire engine bay that can accommodate four fire trucks, a control room, a gear locker room, a store, a first aid room, a dining room and a kitchenette as well as sleeping quarters. It will also have a reception, an office, a meeting room, a duty room and adequate public car parking area. There will also be express fire trucks entrance and exit separate from the general entrance and exit. To ensure that there is adequate supply of water at all times there will also be a water hydrant within the facility.
Waiguru noted that with rapid growth in population as well as commercial and residential investments, the need for a modern, equipped and upgraded fire department, emergency response and rescue center cannot be overlooked. The new station, which has excellent accessibility due to its location along Kutus -Sagana Highway near Kutus -Kerugoya junction, will be one of the best fire stations in the country and the best in the central region. Some of the beneficiaries of the project will be financial institutions, government offices, health institutions, markets, retail and wholesale outlets, residential estates and learning institutions including Kirinyaga University.
Hitel Patel who is a businessman in Kutus town said that the business community was looking forward to the completion of the fire station since it will be of great service to them when it comes to responding to fire disasters. “With such an iconic project, Kutus town is going to grow in terms of investments since more people will now consider setting up or expanding their business here.” Said Patel, adding that unlike before, there is going to be better response to fire disasters. He thanked Governor Anne Waiguru for bringing closer to them such an essential service.
The county’s fire fighters are eagerly waiting for the completion of the fire station since it will enhance efficiency in their operations. John Kiama, one of the fire fighters says that it will be a great relief since they have been operating from a makeshift fire station whose infrastructural inadequacies negatively impact on the department’s operations and emergency response. He noted that in the past one year, the fire department handled 130 fire incidences, 20 traffic accident incidences and six cases of people who had fallen into wells and rivers. He said that the project will provide an integrated and sustainable fire emergency and management system for the county.
