The Kokopo Lord Mayor, Isidor Bonga is now calling on all stakeholders in the public sector to work together to address fire hazards in Kokopo town in East New Britain Province. The town recently experienced a spate of fire disasters which had gutted a number of shops in the town. Bonga, who met with the Kokopo Fire Station Commander Steven Ephraim Namur, said that a way forward must be identified by stakeholders to address fire safety issues currently affecting the town. “Fires have gutted a number of shops in Kokopo town and is a wakeup call for the province. This indicates the need to review safety standards of buildings and fire service operations must be properly equipped.” Bonga said Water PNG must have the capacity to put out fires. There should be fire hydrants especially in densely populated areas where time is of great essence during emergency situations such as a fire. He stated that there should be one fire hydrant easily accessible in streets so fire fighters can tap into a water supply. “The Fire Services in the province must seek support from the provincial government if they are facing logistical support. Building boards and people who wanted to construct new buildings must also consult the community safety sections of the fire service.” The Kokopo Vunamami Urban LLG will have monthly meetings with concerned stakeholders to ensure there is routine inspections conducted at business houses and all safety standards and requirements are complied with. Bonga stated that as a matter of urgency, the building board which comprises of staff from Department of Works, PNG Power Ltd, Water PNG Ltd, ENB provincial administration, health inspectors and KVULLG must review the standard (fire safety and other safety measures) for all buildings in Kokopo town. “We need to work together to make sure fire safety is addressed at all levels.”