The County Government of Uasin Gishu’s firefighting team continues to receive widespread recognition for its efficiency in firefighting, recording an average response time of 15–30 minutes across Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Trans Nzoia counties.
Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii affirmed that the administration has remained committed to strengthening the capacity of its disaster response teams to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
On Wednesday, the Chief Officer for Roads, Mr. Geoffrey Tanui, held discussions with a delegation from SANY Company—a distributor of firefighting equipment—on the acquisition of modern firefighting engines to boost emergency response in Eldoret City and surrounding areas.
The SANY delegation was led by Mr. Gao Michael, Director Titus Mutei, and Regional Marketing Manager Billia Makena.
“Eldoret is now a city and requires state-of-the-art firefighting engines and equipment. As a county, we are making deliberate efforts to ensure the fire department is well equipped and strengthened,” Mr. Tanui noted.
Key areas of focus raised by the county team included equipment supply and maintenance, availability of spare parts, after-sales support, training, cost-effectiveness and value for money, technical support, and knowledge transfer, among others.
The SANY team highlighted the importance of investing in modern firefighting equipment alongside continuous training for firefighters, emphasising their ability to provide comprehensive, end-to-end solutions.
“We are ready to offer training to your team as a value-added service to ensure smooth operations. Modern equipment is critical for improved public safety, reduced loss of life and property, and enhancement of the county’s image,” Ms. Makena stated.
The development comes barely a week after the fire team was praised by traders and residents of the Roadblock area in Kapsaos Ward, Eldoret, for their swift and timely response that helped contain a fire and prevent further destruction of property worth millions.
The inferno broke out at around 3:00 p.m. on Friday in one of the shops. Firefighters moved in quickly, safeguarding surrounding buildings and mitigating what business owners and locals said could have resulted in extensive damage and losses running into millions of shillings.
Uasin Gishu County Chief Fire Officer David Sitati, while confirming the incident, said police have launched investigations to establish the cause of the fire.
He emphasised the importance of timely reporting and rapid response to emergencies, urging residents to make use of the county emergency numbers: 0710 646 464, 0532 061 185, and 0706 389 888.
The County Government of Uasin Gishu’s firefighting team is widely appraised, with an average response time of 15-30 minutes across Uasin Gishu Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet and Trans Nzoia Counties.
By Jevvah Kiplimo
