September 2025

Our Swim for Survival training clinics with the 20 fire brigade officers have also received major local media coverage. Here’s a link to one of the articles written about the training:

almasimediatz.blogspot.com

ASKARI WA ZIMAMOTO WAPEWA MAFUNZO MAALUMU YA UOKOZI MAJINI

The article is written in Swahili, so I have also pasted a translation below.

“Dar es Salaam.

The Fire and Rescue Service has commenced a special water rescue training for more than 20 of its soldiers, organized by the Tanzania Beach Lifeguards Organization, held at the swimming pool of Shaaban Robert Secondary School, Upanga in Dar es Salaam. The three-day training began on September 25, 2025 and is expected to be completed on September 27, 2025.

The Training Coordinator from the Fire and Rescue Service, Inspector Shani Juma, said the training is a catalyst to increase the capacity and enhance the readiness of soldiers in responding to water-related disasters.

"Our main job in Fire and Rescue is to save. You cannot save without knowing, and you cannot know without practicing. Therefore, we are here to increase our capacity and prepare ourselves to deal with disasters that may occur," said Inspector Shani.

He added that rescue soldiers often practice at sea, so doing this training in a swimming pool is a motivation and a good way to learn more correct rescue techniques.

For his part, the Chairman of the Tanzania Life Saving Society and the trainer of the training, John Belela, said the main goal is to prepare fire and rescue personnel so that they can handle disasters professionally.

"We have problems on the water. Our water transport vehicles can get into trouble. You even saw the incident in Zanzibar, where a ship sank and when rescuers arrived, they found many people already dead. Therefore, this training will build them to be ready at all times," said Belela.

He also noted that the program will be ongoing and aims to reach various regions in the country to increase the capacity of fire and rescue personnel.

The training has been described as part of a strategy to ensure that Tanzania has a rescue team with high readiness to deal with any disasters that may arise at sea.”

- Almasi Media Tz