Shakirat Awoleke - On Risking and Saving Lives
Interviewed by Ifeoluwa A.
Firefighting is no easy feat. Every day, firefighters walk straight into danger to rescue people and property with no idea whether or not they will make it back home in one piece at the end of the day. For this piece, I had a chat with Shakirat, an officer with Oyo State Fire Service. We talked about the rigours of the job and her experience so far.
Ife: Please tell me about yourself.
Shakirat: My name is Shakirat Awoleke. I am from Oyo state, but I grew up in Lagos. I am a graduate of Business Administration. I moved back here after my studies, and I have been a firefighter for 28 years now.
I: What you do is quite honorable, but it’s also a dangerous job. Why did you choose it?
S: What job isn’t? Some are just more dangerous than others. I was drawn to it mainly because it involves preserving life and property, rescuing people and teaching them how to prevent fires at home, in schools, factories, places of worship and most especially, markets.
I: What is a typical day at the fire station?
S: Members of the operations department resume at 6:30 am (day shift) and 6:30 pm (night shift). First, we check the equipment, and then we have a parade at 6:45, where we take attendance and discuss the scheduled duties during the shift. The schedule is usually three-morning shifts, three-night shifts and three days off.
Other departments resume at 8 am and close at 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Other departments are fire prevention, accounting & admin and training school. Here, there is no differentiation. They see everyone as a man. We do everything from driving the fire tenders to filing reports.
When we receive an emergency call, we ask for the caller’s name and a specific address. So, we can redirect the call to the nearest fire station to the provided address. We also have scheduled fire prevention lectures.
I: How often do you go out on calls?
S: There are more fires during the dry season. So, it’s all hands on deck during that time. It may even be as frequent as once a week. There are also many night fires.
During the rainy season, the fires occur once a month or more. We also get rescue calls when people fall into wells or have other home accidents.
I: What keeps you going?
S: I like to see how our rescue efforts save people from death or losing all their property. It’s fulfilling to help people. I believe what a man can do; a woman can do better. So, I give my best every time I am at work.
It is a job I have come to love, and if given a choice, I’ll choose the job again. I am always happy to come here every time I am on duty, and I’d encourage my children and other young people around me should they choose to become firefighters.
I: Interesting. How do people get to work here?
S: Before now, the service accepted people of all disciplines, but now, it favors technical specialty during recruitment. There is a 6-month training course every recruit must attend regardless of the department in which they would be working. The course covers both theory and practical (drills) in 36 subjects. There is an examination at the end of the training. Recruits who pass are accepted into the fire service and assigned to stations all over the state. Those who fail have a chance to re-sit the examinations after attending some of the classes again.
There are seven offices within the state and eight out-station offices, situated in largely populated areas and places prone to fires like markets, factories, etc. Firefighters can be re-assigned to any station at any time.
I: Can you tell me about one fire you’ll never forget?
S: It was a residential building with eight apartments. The fire claimed three children who were at home without their parents. We did everything we could, but it was too late. It was beyond heart-breaking that we could not save them. I can’t imagine losing my child or children that way.
I: Besides fighting fires, what else do you do/like to do?
S: I have a small shop someone manages for me while I am at work on the days I have the morning shift. I go there myself on other days. I like to have normal interactions with regular, everyday people.
I also like to read. Reading is essential for a job like this. Sometimes, it’s for knowledge, and other times, it serves as a distraction from the things we see when we go out on calls.
I: What are your plans for the future?
S: I will face my business squarely. I’m considering expanding it, but I have to be on the ground to do that. I will also spend more time with my family.