3 fire stations for 21 lakh population

3 fire stations for 21 lakh population
By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, Nov 18, 2011: With the port city having strategic security establishments, many industries and SEZs and lot of activity its denizens are literally sitting on a blast furnace. But there’s no guarantee that a fire tender reaches a fire accident spot on time. The fire department is not fully equipped to deal with any eventuality. Its staff strength and fire stations are much below the norms specified by National Standing Fire Advisory Committee (NSFAC).
Against the norm of one fire station for a population of 50,000, for a city of 21 lakh population, it has only three fire stations. And at these stations department have only three fire tenders. Fortunately though there were no major fire mishaps in the city in recent times killing people there is every possibility of losing precious lives if any major eventuality happens.
The fire department is still running the establishment set up by British Queen Victoria in 1942. As per the NSFAC city should have at least 41 fire stations but has only three at Police barracks, Pedagantyada and Marriplaem. The total manpower is 60 per cent less than the required as there has been no recruitment for long. There should be 16 fire personnel per station but has only 8 in all the three stations.
Out of the 5 Assistant District Fire Officers (ADFO) there’s none due to no recruitment by the government since many years. The lone ADFO retired very recently. “It’s an unfortunate situation. Thank god that there’s no major fire mishap in recent times. What if some major accident happens? It’s a total official apathy. Government should seriously think about how to plug the gaps. Government should also spend money on setting up fire stations and fire tenders,” observed SB Rao of Forum for Better Visakha.
Due to lack of required staff fire department is lending services of police home guards. At times department also takes the help of defence establishments and major industries, which has fire tenders. Per year fire department receives at least 600 to 700 fire calls. According to sources for every six months local fire office has been sending proposals to the government seeking setting up of new fire stations and to increase staff. All the proposals are lying idle on the tables of the higher officials in Hyderabad.
“I agree there is severe shortage of staff. Fire stations are also not there as per the standard norms. Around 40 persons who were newly recruited are undergoing training they will be joining duties very soon. Total overhaul of the department need to be done,” District Fire Officer SV Narasimham told this correspondent.