Lagos State Fire Service under the Leadership of Mrs. Adeseye Margaret Abimbola has recorded remarkable success stories. Abimbola, born on March 21, 1976, kick-started her career in Lagos Fire Service as a recruit fire man in training on GL 04; little did she know that she would one day drive the Fire Institution to achieve greatness.
In just a space of two years, Adeseye exhibited outstanding efforts leading the institution to different levels of accomplishments; feats which were not much envisaged when she assumed office as the first female director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
As she rose to take up the role in 2019, some of her records do express the quality of her captainship in leading the Fire Service in effort to tackle the many challenges of fire disasters in Lagos State.
With a vision to make Lagos a safer city, the Fire Service under her leadership advanced towards rebranding the institution to an Agency Status. In attaining this feat, the Fire Service Law of 2015 was reviewed and it was approved by Babjide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Governor in January 2020.
To improve the quality of service delivery across the State, there have been increase in numbers of Fire Stations with the taking over of the Fire Section at the Emergency & Security Regional Dispatch Centre, Epe; as well as ongoing construction of 2 (Two) additional Fire Stations in Ajegunle-Apapa and Ebute Elefun, Lagos Island.
In furtherance, the LSFS equally acquired lands at Abule Ado, Ijede – Ikorodu, Oworonshoki – Kosofe and Apapa for development of Fire Stations in order to cover the 20 Local Government Areas of Lagos State.
The Agency also recruited 100 (One Hundred) Personnel in Y2020 to boost the staff strength; implemented additional Departments and Units as created by the Office of Head of Service; and procured Light Tools and Equipment.
While improving its effort in Emergency Response, the Fire Agency attended to over 2,500 Distress Calls between July 2, 2019 and July, 2, 2021 which includes major fire incidents such as OVH (formerly OANDO) fire, Abule Ado Fire, Otedola Bridge back-to-back Fire incidents, Baruwa Gas Explosion, Iju Ajuwon Gas fire, NNPC Filling Station fire, Balogun Market fire, Amu Plank Market fire, Iddo Warehouses fire, Obalende Tanker and Okobaba fires etc. The Agency was able to reduce casualties and fatalities by about 59%; reduction of Fire and related emergency outbreak by 25.24% and False Call by 77.06%.
Other accomplishments endeared towards keeping the service operational include the Construction of a Fuel Dump; procurement of Beds and Beddings for the use of 24/7 duty Firefighters; renovation of all its existing 15 (fifteen) Fire Stations and reconstruction of the Headquarters; resuscitation of 18 (Eighteen) Fire Fighting Trucks in addition to the 7 (Seven) functional Fire Trucks to beef up the operational efficiency and procurement of 2 (two) new Fire Engines.
Within two years and due to the level of activities and prompt response to emergencies, the fire service received lot of Commendations and Appreciation Letters from Public and Private Establishments among which includes: Guinness Plc., Friesland Wamco, NNPC Ogba, Balogun Market, Sasanik Nigeria Limited, Empire Commercial Company, Sunflag Nigeria Limited, Ikorodu, and Abule Ado School, among others.
As the journey to make Lagos State a safe place, one can say that the Agency bestowed with this responsibility will exhibit and execute more and set further sails, towards minimizing looming challenges of fire that may arise in the future.
