Emergency calls in South keep fire personnel on their toes

NT NETWORK 

Margao

The year 2020-21 proved to be a busy one for the Fire and Emergency Services, South Zone, Margao, as they responded to a total of 2,486 emergencies and saved 226 lives.

Apart from the emergency calls, the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the Cyclone Tauktae, which recently left a trail of destruction in the state, kept the fire personnel on their toes.

According to information provided by the fire services, a total of 791 fire calls and 1,695 non-fire or emergency calls were received and responded to by the fire personnel in the south zone between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021. A total of 226 lives were also saved by the personnel.

The fire services personnel were also successful in saving property worth Rs 43 crore from fire incidents, while property worth Rs 3 crore was saved by the personnel from other incidents that occurred in 2020-21. Additionally, the fire services personnel were also involved in sanitising 1,135 places including government premises, buses, hospitals, health centres and other public places like municipality buildings, panchayat areas and also residential homes and surrounding places in COVID-affected areas.

When Cyclone Tauktae recently hit Goa, the fire services in South district received a total of 439 emergency calls including those related to trees collapsing at various places. As per the fire services, property worth Rs 88 lakh was saved due to their response to these calls.

Besides COVID-related duty and calls related to the cyclonic storm, 15 major fire incidents were also reported in South Goa which included fire at a warehouse in Verna, fire at a fibre boat company in Cortalim, a beach cafe getting gutted in Colva, fire at a fabrication factory in Verna as well as vehicles getting engulfed by flames in Margao and Betalbatim. 

Speaking about the fire personnel’s efforts, Deputy Director (Fire)

Nitin V Raiker said, “The fire services have acted as frontline warriors during this COVID-19 pandemic. The general public and representatives of various organisations recognised our dedicated work including sanitisation at various places in South Zone Fire Station jurisdiction and felicitated fire officials and personnel by presenting certificates and mementos. Cooperation from the general public was also of utmost importance during the emergency calls, especially in cutting and removing of trees that fell on houses and roads and also during the fire-fighting tasks.”