THE Kinondoni Regional Fire and Rescue Force in Dar es Salaam has identified several challenges affecting their rescue and firefighting operations, including rapid urban growth, unplanned construction, traffic congestion, and prank calls.

Assistant Commissioner of the Fire and Rescue Force in Kinondoni, ASF Jacob Chacha, made these remarks recently in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, while speaking to this paper about the issues facing the service.

Commander Chacha, who also serves as acting regional commander, said rapid urban expansion and the increase in residential and office high-rise buildings pose significant obstacles to service delivery.

“Fire incidents rise during the dry season. It’s important to note that when the fire service responds, they arrive with water trucks carrying between 5,000 and 15,000 litres. However, many areas still lack water refill stations when supplies run low.

“This can lead to people at or arriving shortly after an incident mistakenly assuming there is no water available. Consider that 1,000 litres of water can be used up in just one minute due to the hose diameter and water pressure.

“In five minutes, 5,000 litres can be depleted. If responders arrive 10 minutes after the fire starts, they often report running out of water and must travel further to obtain more, depending on the scale of the incident,” Commander Chacha explained.

He stressed the importance of wells or storage points for emergency water within neighbourhoods, noting that regulations require a water refill station every 50 to 100 metres along a street, especially to support firefighting efforts.

He also highlighted another challenge: some members of the public make false emergency calls to the fire service’s emergency number, 114, leading to fire engines being dispatched unnecessarily, while others fail to clear the way despite sirens being active.

“When attempts are made to trace these false calls, the numbers are often unreachable. Anyone found guilty of this offence will face legal consequences, as it wastes public resources like fuel,” he said.

Commander Chacha added that the fire service will continue educating the public on safety measures to protect life and property, and on preventing disasters—particularly those caused by human activity. He noted that 70percent of the service’s work focuses on prevention, with 30percent on emergency response.