With over 50 shops gutted during the recent Oshiwara fire, last week, the city's fire brigade was once again tested.
Twelve million people, snarling traffic, and lack of proper safety equipment is hampering the city’s fire service, says chief fire officer, Anil Sawant
With over 50 shops gutted during the recent Oshiwara fire, last week, the city's fire brigade was once again tested. As our city's population expands, the question that is now being asked is whether Mumbai's Third Watch — the police, paramedics and firefighters — is equipped to protect the city. Mumbai's chief fire officer, Anil Sawant, says, "The main problem is the access roads. And due to heavy traffic, it can sometimes take a couple of hours to reach a location."
Talking of the woes of Mumbai's fire brigade, Sawant says that they are not really well-equipped for the job. "Small burns or cuts are not a rarity," he says. In most other countries, firefighters have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that guarantees the fire fighters a certain level of protection. Sawant has proposed that PPE also be provided to his men. The proposal is in its final stages, and he is hoping that in about two or three months it will provide his men with the necessary protection.
He says, "Today we have helmets, but not visors to protect the face. We have ordinary woollen wear that is not really fire-resistant. With PPE, we hope to get proper fire-resistant clothes, gumboots, helmets and gloves."
As of now, Mumbai has only 33 fire stations, with about 2,000 personnel on call in case of an emergency. According to Sawant, given the rising population, the city needs at least 115 fire stations, and of course, more firefighters.
Apart from a shortage of staff, lack of equipment, is also a major problem. "With the increasing number of high rises in Mumbai, we need more aerial ladder platforms, snorkels, etc. We also need more high-pressure portable pumps. Many of the pumps we use are manual, and it takes a long time for the water to rise."
Industries and high rises are supposed to have in-built fire-fighting equipment and well-maintained hydraulic systems. "But often, they are either not present, or not functional," says Sawant adding, "This makes our job even more difficult."
Few have the temerity to willingly enter a burning building, and those that do, need all the help they can get. And this is a battle the city's chief fire officer and his men, are still fighting.
s_surekha@dnaindia.net
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