BENGALURU: With International Women’s Day around the corner, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) – operator of Kempegowda International Airport – marked the occasion by celebrating its women firefighters. On Tuesday, the 14-member women firefighting team who underwent certified training at the Airports Authority of India Fire Service Training in Kolkata, demonstrated their learnings and emergency response skills in a mock fire drill held in the premises of the airport. The 14 women, who are a larger part of the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) unit, were recruited from across Karnataka, showcased their strength and resilience while performing their duties while operating the Austrian-made Rosenbauer Panther 6x6, a rescue vehicle exclusively designed for airport emergency operations.
Speaking about the challenging task, firefighter Priyadarshini B emphasised that while the field has always been male-dominated, the training provided to them was on equal grounds. “Everyone says women are not the right fit for this job but we took it as a challenge and aimed to achieve success instead. My family was convinced that it is a field role, which is quite unique and motivated me to achieve my goal. While the first month of our training was hectic, gradually the team pushed themselves, including helping each other in their highs and lows,” said Priyadarshini, adding that going forward she would like to see more women joining the field of firefighting.
Another firefighter Lakshmi P V emphasised that the four-month training in Kolkata was followed by a two-month training in Bengaluru and additional on-the-job training which she claims as rigorous but fruitful. She added, “We are proud to be the first batch of all-women firefighter group in Asia and we have been entrusted with saving lives during emergencies. It’s a known fact that the fire department, including civil and aviation, was male-dominated but that has now changed with the training on equal grounds. This maintains the gender neutrality in the field.”
While BIAL works towards increasing the ratio of women in the organisation, which currently stands at 15 per cent, Thomas Hoff Anderson, Chief Operating Officer, BIAL, said they have set an example by creating a path for women to break into what has been a male-dominated bastion. “Training and practising is a part of everyday life for a firefighter especially at an airport and we do various drills to be prepared for emergencies. What we have seen from the women’s team ascertains that there is nothing a male can do that a female cannot do, that is an important statement.”
Rosenbauer Panther 6x6
120 KMPHTop Speed
12,500 Litres Water Tank 9000 LMP
Pump Output 1,500 Litres
Foam
Tank 70 metres Throw