PANAJI: Upgradation of fire stations across the state will be taken up within one year and fire guards, on the lines of home guards, will be employed to improve the manpower available to the directorate of fire and emergency services (DFES), chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.
“We will take in skilled manpower, fire guards, on the lines of home guards, within the next six months. We will upgrade fire stations and its equipment within next one year, as the need is increasing due to tourism and industrial activities,” Sawant said, while speaking during the National Fire Services Day function.
He said the DFES had attended to over 6,000 calls during the last financial year, which also included “false fire calls”. “People need to be aware that their false fire calls lead to waste of money and manpower in the effort to reach the spot,” said Sawant.
DFES director Ashok Menon said the three-decades-old Daman and Diu Fire Forces Act 1986 and the Goa State Fire Forces Rules 1997 have been proposed for replacement with new legislation to streamline the functioning of the department.
He said that there are also many gaps to be filled in terms of manpower, fire stations’ coverage and equipment in the DFES.
“The government has been supportive to the department’s need for replacement of unserviceable fire fighting vehicles and equipment, and meeting additional needs to bridge the gap. From April 2020 to March 2021, these investments have helped the department save 104 human lives, 597 animal lives and citizens’ property worth Rs 27 crore,” Menon said.
With rapid urbanisation in the state and vertical growth in infrastructure, aerial ladders and turntable platforms of greater height are required to attend to emergencies in super highrise buildings of 50m height, he said.
Menon also said work of reconstruction of fire station at Bicholim and Valpoi and the fire services headquarters building are being executed by Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSIDC), while the work on the dilapidated fire station building at Vasco is being undertaken by the public works department (PWD).
“The department has revamped its website, which is more responsive and dynamic. The response to fire fighting incidents can now be monitored online by citizens through the website. Fire safety and disaster management apps have also been developed,” the DFES chief said.
So far, the DFES has helped train in fire safety and disaster management over 5,000 primary and secondary school teachers, 33,027 students and 17,600 citizens. “Under Swayampurna Goa, the government has approved the department’s proposal to draw up the village level disaster management plan,” said Menon.