Sainiani Boila 
The National Fire Authority is urging authorities to enforce a law requiring insured vehicles to pay a fire service levy.
This as the agency faces increasing costs from road accident rescues.
NFA Chief Executive Puamau Sowane says the authority has responded to 56 road accident rescues so far this year but received no direct funding from vehicle insurance levies, despite legal provisions.
NFA Chief Executive Puamau Sowane.
Currently, the cost of these rescues is covered by property owners through fire levies, while vehicle owners benefit without contributing.
“This service that we are providing including the attending of our fire trucks with all the rescue trucks, rescue recruitment trying to extract the trapped victims together with our ambulance, together with our paramedics and the experts in extracting the victims our and transferring them to hospital.”
Sowane called the situation unfair and says enforcing the levy would help the NFA maintain its life-saving services.
The NFA is also working to raise awareness about its broader emergency response role, which now extends well beyond firefighting.
The National Fire Authority responded to 153 road accident rescues in 2022, 187 in 2023, and 180 in 2024.
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