Staff  reporter

Royal Bhutan Police received two firefighting vehicles from Machida City and another one from City of Higashi-Hiroshima yesterday. 

Chief Representative of JICA Bhutan Office, Kozo Watanabe handed over the vehicles to the Officiating Chief of Police in a simple handing over ceremony at Fire Station, Changzamtog, Thimphu.  

Officiating Chief of Police expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Kozo Watanabe, mayors of the two cities, and the Society for Promotion of Japanese Diplomacy, for their continued generous contribution and support to Bhutan. 

He said that these vehicles will further strengthen the fire rescue services capacity in the country, which will immensely help in saving lives and properties. The vehicles were allotted to Haa and Samdrupjongkhar to substitute the old Japanese firefighting vehicles and one firefighting vehicle will be stationed at Tashichhodzong Fire Station. 

These firefighting vehicles donation project was initiated during year 2018-2020 through the support and assistance of JICA Bhutan Office and Society for Promotion of Japanese Diplomacy (SPJD). The costs of transhipment, reconditioning and spare parts amounting to Nu. 6.015 million was borne by the government. 

So far, Bhutan has received 30 such firefighting vehicles from various cities of Japan, through the grassroots project mostly funded by the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi. 

“Most of the fire rescue services in the dzongkhags and capital city are being serviced by these vehicles which are very efficient and durable, so much so that division still uses firefighting vehicles given in1993,” a press release from RBP stated.