BHUBANESWAR: Days after the directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the government has constituted joint task forces to conduct regular fire safety audits in hospitals and nursing homes in the state.
The task forces have been formed in both municipal corporation and district-level for the fire and electrical safety inspections in the health facilities. The five-member committee in the municipal corporation is to be headed by municipal commissioner with DCP or SP, fire officer and electrical inspector or deputy electrical inspector as members.
Director of Capital Hospital and director of Rourkela Government Hospital will be the member-convener for Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, respectively and CDMOs in three other corporations.
Similarly, the collector will lead the district-level task force with SP, CDMO, assistant fire officer and superintendent engineer-cum-deputy electrical inspector as members.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has asked the Health and Family Welfare department to provide the list of hospitals and nursing homes for audit of fire and electrical safety and maintain a record. The Health department has also directed the collectors to ensure that all government health facilities in their jurisdiction have initiated measures to prevent fire incidents.
Health Secretary Shalini Pandit said hospitals must regularly inspect firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers, hydrants and alarms and follow a maintenance schedule for all fire safety equipment.
The districts have been asked to develop comprehensive evacuation plans, including clear, well-marked escape routes, emergency exits free of obstructions, and designated safe assembly areas in the health facilities.