The Fire and Rescue Services, Central Division, will impart training to the new batch of underwater divers from next months onwards. The Central Division of Fire and Rescue Services Department is the sole state government unit which conducts underwater diving and rescue operations.
The decision was taken to add the number of underwater divers in the Central Division of Fire and Rescue after the first batch comprising 30 divers completed training few months ago.
According to officials sources, another 30 people, who are undergoing training at Fire and Rescue Department Service Training Centre, will be taught underwater diving.
“We will select those who can swim. Classes will be conducted twice a week for about six months. They will be deputed in various fire stations in the Central Division. The training is being imparted by the officials of Navy and other expert divers at Muvattupuzha and Kochi. They are taught to conduct search operation and rescue activities even during night. They can dive upto 10-20 meters deep,” official said.
The Central Division of Fire and Rescue Service is the only division in the state having underwater diving unit. The diving equipment is provided from the fund collected by the staff of the division and from sponsors.
“We are very proud to be sole government agency to have underwater diving units in the state. The proposal for setting up diving unit has been pending with the government for past several years. But, due to keen interest of higher officials of the Central Division, a unit was trained and set up here. Other divisions of Fire and Rescue Department have no such diving unit and they rely on the swimmers and local people when any accidents take place. After the completion of training of the first batch, the state government has decided to give additional equipment like search light to this unit,” senior officer of Fire and Rescue Department said.
Underwater diving is an risky affair as divers have to compress and decompress according to atmosphere condition under water.
They breath gas comprising nitrogen and oxygen and small mistake would cost the life.
During the training, the divers are taught about breathing technique through which they can save precious breathing gases.
Besides, they are taught how to move under water, conduct search and uplift submersed objects.