HYDERABAD: One of the most common and famous rescue methods used by firemen during rescue operations is the ‘fireman’s chair’. Children get to participate in it in drills conducted by the fire department every week by the State fire department. While no injuries are usually reported at any of these fire drills, the fire department is not without detractors since safety does not seem like much of a concern for them.
If photos shared by the department are to be believed, most of the participants don’t wear a helmet, one of the most basic safety implements. In one of the pictures shared by the department, in one such mock drill held this week, a student can be seen climbing a rope without any safety equipment. In the picture, not even a safety-net is visible underneath the rope. This is frighteningly similar to the recent incident in a college in Coimbatore, where a woman fell to death due to the trainer’s negligence.
“It is true that sometimes our men go overboard in asking the students to volunteer for the drills without safety gears, but the motive is to teach rescue skills. Moreover, the children also show enthusiasm so improvisation happens on the ground,” said a senior officer of the State disaster response and fire services department. He added that the department does not have helmets to give to students while drills are performed as the sizes vary from child to child.
“We have instructed our officers not to hold any jumping drills. For other rescue drills, the first floor should be the start point,” said V Papaiah, RFO, State Fire Services Department. “We are also planning to use mannequins to avoid unnecessary risks,” he said.