The Fire and Emergency Services Department will take up a fire safety check-up drive in phases, Director General of the Department Omprakash said in an interview with Express. Excerpts:
As summer intensifies, there will be more calls for emergency firefighting. How would you address this issue as water supply may become a concern?
Shortage of rainfall is a problem, but the BWSSB has made arrangements for us. This year, we plan to take water from 20 refilling points. As for the increase in fire calls, we are prepared.
Since your department also gets emergency calls other than fire, how are you addressing this new requirement?
We get animal and bird rescue calls also. We never say no to the caller. The other challenge we face is when people give vague locations, because of which we may reach a little late. During weekends, our personnel get calls from the surrounding parts of Bangalore where there are lakes. We have trained swimmers, divers and equipment to fish out bodies.
What is the response time for emergency calls?
We see a case and make a judgment before we leave for the spot. Our teams are always ready with the suits and ignition keys in the fire tenders and within 60 seconds, they leave for the destinations.
Recently, the government ordered a check on the safety standards of high rise buildings. What measures have the department taken in this regard?
This happened after the Carlton Towers incident. A separate team will be formed only for this purpose and it will check each zone phase by phase. The department now has to check every high rise building for its fire hydrants, ventilators, separate cable ducts and passages. If the situation varies from the previous visit, we will write to the BBMP, BWSSB and BESCOM to take action. Usually, people take permission before building additional floors and obtain an NOC. But after some time, they build more floors violating the safety norms.
The department has severe shortage of staff and during summer when calls increase, the problem may also increase?
We are managing with a strength of 3,851 all over the state. We have a shortage of 1,986 employees and will recruit more shortly based on C&R rules. At present, the department is at liberty to take Home Guards whenever emergencies occur.
