VIJAYAWADA: As many as 400 firemen will be undergoing training in watermanship in the Godavari at Rajahmundry in another two days, under the guidance of Pune-based Rashtriya Life Saving Society, before being deployed for Godavari Pushkarams to be held in July.
With millions expected to take a holy dip in Godavari River at several Pushkar Ghats during Godavari pushkarams, state disaster response and fire services department are gearing up to prevent any untoward incident.
In that direction, 400 firemen drawn from different fire stations in 10 coastal districts of the state will be undergoing training from the experts at Rajahmundry. “They will be trained in different aspects of watermanship. Apart from swimming, they will be trained in different techniques of water rescue, first-aid, medical first response technique including artificial respiration,” Krishna district fire officer D Niranjan Reddy said.
It is Krishna district that has the first trained water rescue team of 60 personnel and equipped with three boats. These trained men will also render assistance in training of 400 men and will be deployed for Pushkaram duties. Around 50 rescue boats will be procured and deployed in the water at Pushkar ghats.
“The firemen will be stationed on the boats in Godavari River along the Pushkar ghats at various locations and they will continuously monitor the banks and water. In case of drowning incidents they will immediately get into the rescue act,” Reddy said.
After Godavari Pushkarams, these men will be deployed at various fire stations along the coast.