POULSBO — When fire broke out in an orphanage in Mubende, a city of 40,000 people in west-central Uganda, the closest fire brigade was in Kampala, about 100 miles away.
Residents had no ability to fight the fire and rescue the children inside. Firefighters from Poulsbo and the area are working to change that.
Poulsbo Fire Lt. Edward Wright and a paramedic friend from Idaho leave for Mubende on Tuesday to train a new fire brigade on the maintenance and operation of an ambulance and fire truck.
The fire department in Tumwater, a sister city of Mubende, donated the ambulance and shipped it in spring. The Poulsbo Firefighters Association purchased a surplus fire truck from Port Ludlow and is shipping it and surplus fire equipment as soon as $10,000 is raised for transport. Poulsbo Rotary Club has donated funds toward the transport costs; other assistance is being provided by Port Ludlow Firefighters Association, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, Tumwater Sister Cities Association, and individual donors.
Wright is also taking with him donated medical equipment and laptops for a primary school. The goal: Establish a system that ensures the growth and sustainability of the fire brigade and replicate it in other communities in the region.
Mubende is located just north of the equator at about 5,000 feet. There is a small hospital in Mubende city and a few clinics scattered around the district, but there are currently no emergency services for the 40,000 residents of the city or 600,000 of the district, Wright said.
City and district elders asked for help after the orphanage fire. Tumwater learned of the need for help through its sister city relationship.
“Ugandans have had their share of tragedy in disasters and political upheaval,” Wright said. “Peace is breaking out and they’re trying to build a viable community with the basic public services we take for granted.”
Wright is president of Poulsbo-based Targhee Fire Services, which provides training and equipment design. He is also a member of the board of directors of the African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest, which promotes trade and investment relationships between Africa and this region.
Wright traveled to Mubende in December to gauge the community’s ability to take ownership of the program and sustain it. He was impressed with the community’s commitment and perseverance.
“This is not an expensive top-down government program, but one that is percolating up from the grassroots — a people-to-people effort,” Wright said.
The Uganda aid project is one of several projects taken on by Poulsbo firefighters. Local programs include free bike helmets and smoke detectors.
“In the last few years, we began looking for ways to make a difference in the lives of those who often have so very little or do not enjoy the bounties and security of our region — even considering our present economic challenges,” Wright said.
“Last year, our association was instrumental in obtaining and shipping three water purification systems to Haiti after the earthquake. All these programs are undertaken with volunteer staff and donated funds.”
