FCC Responds to Fire Disaster at Portee Wharf

By Dauda Musa Bangura

13 February 2021

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On Tuesday 9th February, a fire broke out on the Portee Wharf community in East Freetown. The National Fire Force (NFF) made attempts to go to the scene but it was not accessible. After a long struggle, the residents of the community were able to put out the fire.

An incident response is being led by Freetown City Council, with the support and oversight of the newly established National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA). In accordance with our standard operating procedures (SOPs), FCC convened an Emergency Planning Group (EPG), which includes representatives from NDMA, FCC, NFF, Community leaders and volunteers, Sierra Leone Red Cross, BRAC, CRS and CARITAS. UK’s Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC) provides response support remotely.

Residents that are most in need have been identified and priority items were delivered by the Emergency Planning Group on the day of the incident, with

1. SL Red Cross providing temporary shelter (4 tents),

2. CARITAS providing clothing, blankets and shoes.

3. CRS providing food and water.

The Mayor of Freetown visited the scene on Friday 11th to sympathize with the victims and assist with distribution of aid. She also engaged local residents in discussions about the causes of the fire, disaster risk reduction, urban planning and next steps in responding to this incident.

Over the next week, FCC’s and NDMA will collaborate with other MDAs to ensure that the community’s recovery and reconstruction is fully supported, and lessons learned to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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