BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) councillors have called for an urgent expansion of the city’s ambulance fleet to end delays in emergency medical services.
They also commended the fire and ambulance department for its quick response to outbreaks of fire around the city.
Speaking during the latest full council meeting, councillors said the current fleet was overwhelmed, leaving residents in high-density suburbs waiting for hours during medical emergencies.
“The people of Bulawayo deserve timely emergency services. We must do everything possible to increase our ambulance fleet and end these delays,” one councillor said.
Another councillor raised concern over the strain on municipal resources and highlighted the need for public education.
“We don’t have enough equipment, so maybe it’s also prudent for us to advise our residents on things that cause fires. Right now, our fire ambulances are always on the road, even at 1am. They need to save lives, but at the same time, people should be careful about what they store or use in their homes,” the councillor said.
The councillor urged the department to roll out public awareness campaigns ahead of the summer season to minimise fire risks.
Ward 13 councillor Lovewell Mwinde also commended the department for a job well done.
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“We want to thank the fire and ambulance department. Last week, when a building caught fire, they really acted fast. But I am concerned about our medical service ambulances that ferry residents to respective hospitals,” Mwinde said.
Another councillor paid tribute to the section for its public education efforts.
“Allow me to start by thanking the fire and ambulance section, because when it comes to these public awareness campaigns, they are always brilliant. They provide pertinent information relating to fire prevention and what to do in case of a fire emergency. This is something that I want to encourage fellow policymakers to also do in their wards,” the councillor said.
The councillor flagged new fire hazards facing residents as the city enters the summer season.
“For instance, we are using liquid petroleum gas for cooking, which is a potential fire hazard. Because of power supply challenges at the household level, we are also installing a lot of solar energy systems. We need to be careful with those installations. The fire and ambulance section has information and stipulations on how we can safely use those sources of energy,” the councillor noted.
The councillor further raised concern over hybrid vehicles.
“There is an influx of hybrid vehicles that use petroleum and electrical power. While these vehicles are great, it is important for us to know what we are getting into. We must engage the fire and ambulance section so that we can share this information with residents in our communities,” the councillor added.
On response times, another councillor noted that while the fire team was performing well, residents also had a role to play.
“In terms of fire response, we are doing well; we just need to pay attention to the ambulance side of things. In most cases, the challenge is that we take time to report these fires. If we are prompt in reporting, they will be prompt in responding.
“It is also important for us to avoid vandalising fire hydrants in our communities. Those hydrants are the difference between saving our property or watching it burn. We need to focus on reminding fellow residents of their responsibilities to look after our infrastructure so that it can look after us in the long run,” the councillor said.
BCC officials said they were exploring options to acquire more ambulances, citing budget reallocation and partnerships with stakeholders as possible avenues to improve health service delivery.
Bulawayo United Residents Association chairperson Winos Dube said residents wanted to see improved service delivery from the local authority.
“We want the service to run efficiently. They must find ways to solve their problems so that ambulances provide a proper service,” Dube said.
Dube expressed concern over reports that the fire department was being lauded for swiftness when the first vehicle to arrive at a recent scene was allegedly ill-equipped.
“In a recent incident, the first vehicle arrived without water, yet there was a standby vehicle with water. I don’t know how true it is, but while we are happy that they respond, they must ensure a standby vehicle with water is nearby to assist,” he said.
He added that despite the economic challenges, residents must also pay their rates to enable council to function.
“Let us at least try to pay our rates as residents. I understand that the economy is facing challenges, but if we pay what we owe every month, it will help. Council also needs to become innovative to bring in money to maintain vehicles like ambulances, rather than folding their hands,” Dube said.
