After failure of repeated attempts to improve and modernize the existing municipal
fire brigades, Rescue 1122 also accepted challenge of establishing first modern
Fire Service in Pakistan. The establishment of this modern fire service would not
have been possible without the support from Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Serice of
Scotland, United Kingdom which trained the first batch of officers. Subsequently,
as a result of the twinning agreement between Lahore with Glasgow Cities, a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration was also signed between Strathclyde Fire
& Rescue Service and Punjab Emergency Service.
The first trained modern Fire Service was established on pilot basis from Lahore
in June, 2007, which was subsequently replicated in all Districts of Punjab. In
short span of time, the Rescue 1122 Fire Services working in all Districts of Punjab
have responded to thousands of fire calls and saved lives & losses worth billions
of rupees by providing timely response and professional fire fighting on modern
lines.
However the increasing number of fire incidents due poor enforcement of fire safety
codes given in the building byelaws is increasingly putting the lives and properties
of citizens and Rescuers at risk. Furthermore, the absence of proper emergency stairs,
fire hydrants and encroachments around the buildings makes the fire fighting operations
especially in walled city and high rise building very difficult and dangerous. Therefore
the bare minimum fire safety codes have been notified and efforts are underway for
establishment of an effective Building Control Authority ensure safe construction
and expansion of cities.