Antananarivo, September 2007
The Fire Department in the Madagascan capital, Antananarivo, was established in 1949. Its one and only fire station is located in the Tsaralalana neighborhood in the town centre. Although 2 million people live in the Madagascar's capital city, there are only 116 Antananarivo firefighters, operating in a zone of around 50 km2.
Despite their paltry salaries, these professional firemen are devoted to their work. However, the lack of available equipment undermines their efficiency and results in them being undervalued by the town's inhabitants. Cooperation programs are regularly set up, notably with the French Vendée region and the Japanese government.
According to Colonel ANDRIANAIVO, the fire department's commissioner, the most important issue is to inform the capital's inhabitants : « People often hesitate to call us because they think they'll have to pay for the service ».
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