Firefighters are operating with outdated equipment, unpaid allowances and gaps in legal funding.

This raises serious concerns about emergency response capacity.

Parliament’s debate on the Review Report of the National Fire Authority’s 2017 Annual Report exposed long-standing weaknesses. These include funding shortfalls, poor infrastructure, and welfare issues.

Standing Committee Chair Iliesa Vanawalu said the law governing the authority must be reviewed. He called for more fire stations outside municipal areas.

He said funding must increase to support rural services.

Opposition MP Ketan Lal said the government failed to meet its legal obligation to provide 25 percent funding.

He described this as a breach of the law. He said firefighters use trucks more than 30 years old.

He warned that this leads to breakdowns and delays. He also raised unpaid overtime and low allowances.

He said the $10,000 life insurance cover is too low. Lal said the authority lacks key equipment. He pointed to the absence of rescue boats in flood-prone areas. He said poor planning forces crews to use fire trucks for outreach.

He added that rural communities depend on services that are not fully funded. He said unsafe buildings continue due to weak enforcement.

Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa said reforms are underway. He said the Government now meets the 25 percent funding rule. This began in the 2024–2025 financial year.

He said this allowed a 20 per cent pay rise for firefighters. He also confirmed the Cabinet has approved expanding fire service boundaries.

Nalumisa said new trucks have been bought since 2019. More are on order. He said training partnerships are improving skills. He added that housing support now covers more than 700 firefighters.

He warned that fire incidents are rising. He said most structural fires are in homes. He backed stronger building code enforcement.

Opposition MP Praveen Kumar said fire risks are changing.

He pointed to climate change, poor waste control, and informal settlements. Kumar said these factors increase fire danger. He warned the authority is not ready for bushfires.

Parliament has agreed to more funding, better equipment, and stronger enforcement.