THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ending a decade-long wait, the fire and rescue services will finally have at its disposal three aerial ladder platforms (ALP) procured from Finland, to be used for dousing fire in high rises and to rescue people trapped in elevated structures.
The first machine, costing about Rs 15 crore will be brought to Kerala most likely by November. Purchase orders have been issued for the other two machines — each costing Rs 18 crore approximately — and it will take a minimum 18 months to deliver the system to the state.
Having ALPs in its arsenal will boost the fire and rescue operations as they can operate at a height of 60m and a maneuverability of 360 degrees, making it as an ideal option for the fire fighters to combat blazes in high-rises. It also has features that would enable rescue of people who are stuck in the top floors of the skyscrapers.
Sources told TNIE that a high-level team from the department will visit Finland in the first week of September to evaluate the working of the machine, the purchase order of which was issued earlier this year.
Though the department felt the need for ALP for a long time, it was in 2016 that some thought was given on procuring it. However, due to indecisiveness and prolonged deliberations, the proposal remained in the conceptual stage. Towards the end of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, the tender was floated and the process to acquire the system was set in motion.
The first of the ALP will be fielded in Kochi, while the other two would be deployed in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, respectively, sources added. The ALP is mounted on a truck and is operated by a hydraulic system. The working platform acts as control centre and the platform can be moved using joysticks.
“Fire-fighting in high-rises is challenging. It becomes more dangerous when we operate without ALPs. The urban landscape of Kerala is changing and we are having more skyscrapers now. With our existing systems, we cannot combat blaze that erupt in multi-storeyed apartments. ALPs will be our most cherished value addition in the coming days, a senior department official said.