Only one firefighter for 6,263 properties in city!

Nagpur: For Nagpur’s 5.63 lakh properties, there are only 90 firemen or one fireman for every 6,263 properties! There’s a reason for people to feel unsafe.
Though Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has increased the number of posts from 311 to 872 in the fire and emergency services department for 13 (eight existing and five planned) fire stations, there has been no filling of vacant posts. As on date, the staff strength needed for eight fire stations if 557, while the actual number of personnel working there is mere 149. Thus leaving a shortfall of 408 personnel.

TOI has been highlighting the need for adequate fire services in an emerging metro like Nagpur where high-rises are dotting the cityscape.

Sources said when the fire department came into existence, 193 firemen were attached to five fire stations. Over the years, the city spread has grown wider and bigger. Even the NMC area has been widened with the inclusion of Hudkeshwar and Narsala in city limits. NMC’s fire department has also been asked to cover areas under Nagpur Metro Region Development Authority.

Though the number of fire stations has gone up to eight — Civil Lines, Sugat Nagar, Kalamna, Lakadganj, Sakkardara, Narendra Nagar, Ganjipeth and Cotton Market, there has been no corresponding rise in the number of fire personnel and these eight stations are being manned by only 90 firemen and 19 leading firemen. According to staff position, though the department has a sanctioned strength of 872 personnel, about 408 posts are vacant for the last many years.

In 2018, at least eight firemen got retired from the department and this year another 15 will superannuate. In last five years, around 50 firemen had retired.

Even important posts like chief fire officer, deputy chief fire officer, divisional fire officer, assistant divisional fire officer, station officers, assistant station officers and senior lead firemen are vacant since long.

With given the present population, the city should have at least 22 fire stations, each with a minimum staff strength 40, including 16 firemen. In any given shift, there should be one driver, one leading fireman, one fire officer and at least four firemen. Due to lesser strength at the station level, the department has to send staff from two to three fire stations to attend any major call.

Even though the department faces manpower crisis, NMC uses firemen to deliver official letters at the houses of corporators and other office-bearers. Many times, firemen were pressed into service to deliver personal invitations of corporators and other elected representatives in the city.

A senior officer from NMC’s general administration department said the move to fill the vacant posts is on as the civic body has already started the process to fill posts of 54 drivers, five station officers and five fitters.