SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win delivers addresses at the ceremony to mark 77th Anniversary of Myanmar Fire Brigade Day
NAY PYI TAW May 5
The 77th Anniversary of Myanmar Fire Brigade Day was marked at the Myanmar International Convention Centre-II in Nay Pyi Taw this morning with an address by Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present at the ceremony were SAC members Admiral Tin Aung San, Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Daw Dwe Bu, Mahn Nyein Maung, U Maung Ko, Dr Kyaw Tun, Khun San Lwin and U Shwe Kyein, Union ministers, the chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye, senior military officers from the Office of the Commanderin-Chief, deputy ministers, Nay Pyi Taw Council members, permanent secretaries, officers and service personnel of Myanmar Fire Brigade Headquarters, retired fire brigade officers, representatives of permanent, auxiliary and separate fire brigades from regions and states, award winning fire brigade members and guests.
First, the Vice-Senior General delivered a speech, saying that today is the 77th Anniversary of Myanmar Fire Brigade Day which has been standing tall with fine traditions and prestige in protecting life and property of ethnic people residing in the country against danger of fire and other dangers in successive eras.
First and foremost, the Vice-Senior General said he honoured all fire fighters steadfastly serving their duties on fire security of the people, prevention of natural disasters, search and rescue as well as public welfare tasks as public service at full capacity during the 77 years period.
In retrospect, warning sounds of gongs were beaten as part of fire preventive measures in the prosperous country in the reign of King Anawrahta who established the First Myanmar Empire in 1044 AD. A total of 663 firefighters were assigned in order to carry out firefighting measures. It can be seen that fire services were served systematically to prevent danger of fire for the country in Bagan, Pinya, Inwa, Nyaungyan and Konbaung eras. As a nature of fighting fire, anyone cannot do so individually but it can be done by groups. So, it can be seen that everybody knew that only then, could king, soldiers and people make concerted efforts in effectively fighting fire since the reign of Myanmar kings.
In the colonial era, British colonialists formed the municipal fire brigades to protect their interests. So, educated patriotic youths formed the volunteer fire brigades in their respective areas with the national spirit so as to protect their areas against danger of fire. From 1900, volunteer fire brigades were formed in townships across the nation. In so doing, missions of firefighters, moralities, rules for forming the volunteer fire brigades, duties and authority, designation of uniforms, duties in putting out the fire, firefighting training, and relief and transport of patients were done under the manuals of Fire Department as a fine tradition. So, the Fire Brigade can be dubbed as emergence of a public service organization for the State.
The First Volunteer Fire Brigade Conference was held with participation of 197 representatives
from 19 districts at the Zeenat Islamic school for the girls in Kandawgale of Yangon on 5 May, Sunday, 1946.
In his address, General Aung San said that duty of firefighters is very noble in important disciplines. Heroes emerged in armies. So also, heroes emerge in firefighting measures. Those hero firefighters are very noble as they make sacrifices without fighting others. 5th May when the conference was held was designated as the Myanmar Fire Brigade Day which has been marked for 77 years.
The Myanmar Fire Brigade in line with the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs is implementing four objectives. In so doing, the brigade is strictly following three important sectors:management, fire safety and search and rescue works and review.
Fire breaks out in Myanmar yearly. During the 10 years period from 2013 to 2022, a total of 18,336 times of fire broke out in the country, losing more than Ks-155 billion worth of property, according to the records of the Department of Fire Services. More than 1,800 times of fire broke out in the entire nation on an average yearly and it lost some Ks-15 billion per year. As climate changes and population increases as well as the country develops, number of outbreaks of fire may rise. It is necessary to raise public awareness for taking care of danger of fire and making fire preventive measures in order to reduce loss and damage in the outbreak of fire.
In accord with the saying which goes: “Some People Run from Problem, Another Run to Again We Know Hero” in initiating fire safety, searching and rescue works, it indicates firefighters. Firefighting measures need to make sacrifice of life and limbs. Those firefighters need to take training for having wonderful skills in order to minimize sacrifice in their duties. As skill is based on training, confidence on skill, braveness on confidence and victory on braveness, all ranks of firefighters need to have skills to handle modern fire extinguishers and machinery and take continuous training for having proficiency in relevant fields.
It is common knowledge that whenever there are incidents, dangers and natural disasters, firefighters work hard on search, rescue and evacuation with a full sense of duty, compassion and goodwill, regardless of race and religion. Valuing such good spirits, they must continue to try to live as good firefighters while following the prescribed laws, rules and disciplines to improve the quality of their lives.
Every fire brigade member needs to have politeness and mobilization skills when communicating and dealing with public members. When they have to make efforts to extinguish a fire, they need to make it clear for public understanding with patience. The fire brigade is a colourless organization when it comes to politics because they have been serving the best interests of the State and the people at risk of their lives since it was born. The State is also presenting them with titles and medals for their gallantry and achievements.
From 1952 to date, 356 firefighters have been awarded medals—one Union silver medalist, three Independence mainland.
It is especially necessary to ensure peace and stability in the border areas to accelerate the tasks for border areas development. Despite being hard in implementing border areas development tasks depending on in restrictions on local situation, weather and road and communications, it is necessary for officials concerned to make efforts to timely finish with the tasks within the set financial year.
It is learnt that in cooperating with international organizations and countries for development of border areas, tasks for building infrastructure and ensuring human resources development in border areas are being effectively carried out with the foreign assisted funds including those from India and China.
I appreciate to see that the tasks with the assistance of partner countries will be of much help to the national races living in border areas. I would like to urge all to, with the leadership of the Central Committee, raise momentum in carrying out border areas development tasks to achieve goals on ensuring improvement of socio-economic life and infrastructure in border areas and outstanding human resources in the youths of national races living in the areas.