Government has bought 42 modern fire tenders from Spain at a cost of 42 million U.S dollars.
The fire tenders will be distributed to local authorities across the country.
ZANIS reports that Minister of Local Government Vincent Mwale has disclosed that the fire tenders are expected to arrive in the country in the next few weeks.
Mr Mwale said the procurement of the fire tenders will see an improvement in fire fighting operations and services in the country.
The Minister said this in Ndola during the Commemoration of the 2017 International Fire Fighters day held under the theme “Supporting fire fighting for a better provision of rescue and fire fighting Services.
And Mr Mwale conveyed a message of condolences from President EDGAR LUNGU to the families of the deceased fire-fighters who died in the course of serving lives and property.
Meanwhile, Mayor of the City of Ndola Amon Chisenga said there is need to adequately equip all Fire fighting Centres in order to improve the quality of fire fighting services.
Earlier, Fire Services Union of Zambia -FSUZ- president Billings Chanda commended government for buying new fire tenders.
What are Fire Tenders?
it is those things/items that Tender a fire.
fire engines work with fire hydrants!
Fire Trucks
fire trucks costs,ladder fire trucks new is.$300,000 ,equipment is between 50,000 to 100,000.(new trucks)latest fire trucks cost a $1million mostly used in big cities like newyork,london.
so on a clean sheet these fire trucks will cost,$500,000 shipping included.so we are estimating 22million for the 42 fire trucks,not 42 million.if these fire trucks are used then one will cost 120,000 with equipment,so more money in lungu acc.
Until I see those 1975 Fire Engines.
When is the ship from Turkey loaded with electricity going to dock? The few weeks has turned into few years.
@planzo – if these trucks carry 1500Litres and come with fully kitted they should cost tops $650k …by kit i mean onboard hydraulic cutters capable of opening up a vehicle like a tin can and removing trapped driver and passengers.
Kikiki defected rejects from Europeans. When they fail to work and people die of fire related issues some Chap will say it’s upnd to blame
They should have bought from China.
42 fire tenders at 42 million dollars???? I smell a rotten rat. I doubt 42 fire tenders can cost that much even if you added the shipment and other costs.
They wont tell you truck model as you will find it only costs £80,000 each..its daylight robbery.
HH has made them buy firetenders at 1 million dollars each!
Surely how can a Fire Engine cost $1million each? Does it produce its own water?…these European Scania Engines cost no more than £250k…whats modern about these Engines? More than two thirds of that could have been saved or better still funds used to create coach works company to build them in Kabwe. I wonder what value engineering technics or cost management are used as these people are only interested in stealing funds.
I have been doing some digging and this is what I have found out; there are two costs with fire apparatus, the cost of the vehicle and the cost of the equipment that truck carries.
So a fire engine depending on class could be well under $1000,000, whereas a ladder truck could cost up to $300,000 and that is with both trucks unequipped. Adding equipment from basics like hoses to hydraulic extrication tools may add another $50,000 to $100,000. It all comes down to what the department ordering a new (not used) truck wants and what functions they want that piece of equipment to perform.
A typical example of the procurement costs is a recent purchase by Queensland Fire and Rescue Service in Oz that spent $685,000 on a Brand new Scania P280 Fire Engine, which can carry 1500 litres of water and pump 4000l a minute and, as well as putting out fires, it can perform road crash and swift water rescue capability.
JJ is crying!
Yes i cry when money is wasted unlike empty tins like you who ignorantly celebrate…showing Lazy Lungu’s name when money can be saved from this purchase.
Wake up!!
*..shouting…
Just like the illiterate journalist who was too lazy to ask specification questions before writing up the article…these whooping million dollar trucks will be entrusted in poorly trained council drivers with corruptly acquired PSV licences.
..entrusted to…
They would have spent that money on Improving the UTH facilities and buy some Ambulances. Why 42 fire tenders/ kashimya mulilo. It’s not always we experience fires in Zambia like in Australia or the USA. They would have bought not more than 15 if they needed to. We will continue dying like flies at UTH.
Lack of priorities…when it comes to those things they rush to donors to ask for exim bank loans like those Indian prefab health posts
I like @Jay Jay’s comments “these whooping million dollar trucks will be entrusted in poorly trained council drivers with corruptly acquired PSV licences.” The corrupt drivers will end up using fire trucks to ferry water to their homes for personal use and possibly to neighbors who will corrupt them for cash. And if not properly managed these same trucks will become monuments for people to watch. Wasting so much money on fire trucks is unbelievable and a share waste of time. $45,000,000 would go a long way in alleviating poverty, repairing roads, renovating hospitals (UTH) and other social services, shame!
For the sake of maths, let us assume one costs $600 000 plus $20 000 shipping.
This will bring total to about $26 million for 42 of them.
Can please, any “PF affiliated” bloggers, help me here by humbly reaching out to PF to berg them to donate the remaining $14 million to UTH, among others for UTJ to drill a proper high capacity borehole & also buy heavy duty Gensets or install solar panels on the UTH roof tops!
Also, remind them (PF) that one day when their term is over, either 2021, 2026, or 2031, they may need to visit UTH.
Or better still, they can also throw part of the change into agricultural related projects to reduce starvation.
Please, humbly share with others I berg of you.
One wonders how they arrived at 42 trucks for $42m…they could have saved more by even negotiating on the kit which am sure there is no training involved.
These people are reckless..it really pains me!!
Will these fire tenders be arriving on the scene without water also like the ones we currently have, just asking
So we should know $42 Million is roughly around K420,000,000..During the 2017 budget speech minister of finance made this speech and i quote..”Mr. Speaker, to ensure that resources follow functions, a key tenet in
any decentralisation strategy, I have allocated a total of K887.9 million to the Local Government Equalisation Fund”..(2017 Budget speech page 16 No.125)
so we can say these fire tenders will chew roughly 50% of the entire budget and this is just Q1…
Is fire tender spare available
The cost… ?
Ladies and gentlemen U$1million for one fire tender, this is day light robbery
A fire tender from Spain. when kick backs are in your head you are as good as a Zombie. Am not against this procurement but as often with the poor road network in this country by the time these fire tenders reach the scenes of the fire its too late. then whats the point.???absolutely zero. any country that wants to develop has to invest in infrastructure and i hope you don’t think infrastructure is just paving tar on gravel roads it begins with planning proper planning.
They have saved that company in Spain for the next 5 years with the hardship there…in these times if they were serious they would have negotiated for $500k each…but due to corruption they pay more
Zambia does not require 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 fire fighting trucks. the country is not a fire prone built up in terms of infrastructure. For example, in more than ten years a serious fire breaks up from a building needing fire fighting attendance. How does Mwale justify the huge sums of money involved in the procurement of these fire trucks?. PF government always playing big underneath fraud and corruption is the main agenda of this government. Hope the fire fighting trucks will not be used to extinguish bush fires.
I don’t think the manufacturer is getting $1million per truck. It is more likely that the Zambian company who got the order screwed them into to ground on price so that they can make more “hand-out” money…This contract should be investigated!!!