The poor performance of the fire service in various states a cross the country has been attributed to the absence of a sound regulatory framework.

A security and safety consultant, Adiele Chima who made the remark on Monday during an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, said, if the fire service is to play its key role in preventing and managing fire incidences across the nation, there must be a regulatory framework, such that all state governments have the same structure in the composition, equipment profile and training of personnel for the service.

He explained that with what a state like Lagos has put in place for the implementation of fire service in the state, other states of the federation could copy it as a model, stressing that the government of Lagos state has worked assiduously to rehabilitate the fire service as an emergency response agency, which he said is the right training for its personnel, state-of-the-art operational equipment and all that it takes to run a modern fire service.

Mr Chima opined that the establishment of the fire service should be tinkered with the concurrent list, to make it a joint responsibility to both the state and federal government. At present, eh said, there is a lacuna that has made it difficult to achieve a regulatory framework for the fire service.

He urged members of the public to be alert on issues relating to security and safety especially on handling household appliances and other accessories to avoid out break of fire incidence within the living environment.