On guard to keep fires at bay

With temperatures rising, authorities are pulling out all stops to mitigate fire accidents

Hyderabad: With temperatures rising, authorities are stepping up activities to prevent fire accidents with evacuation drills and training sessions for personnel. As there has been a rise in fire accidents in Hyderabad in the last couple of years, officials are pulling out all the stops to avert any major incidents during the upcoming summer.

Along with the Fire Department, the Directorate of Enforcement Vigilance and Disaster Management of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is also gearing up to ensure the safety of residents. Identifying the most vulnerable spots and buildings in the city like schools, hospitals, shopping malls, office buildings, hotels, banquet halls, and other places with large gatherings, the Disaster Response Force (DRF) is conducting emergency evacuation drills every week.

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“We conduct approximately 25 evacuation drills every week to ensure that people are prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. Every zone is covered,” said EV&DM Director N Prakash Reddy.

The DRF unit consists of 30 teams with over 450 personnel trained in handling urban floods, building collapses, rail accidents, and others who also assist Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services personnel. They are available in strategic locations around the clock to reach disaster sites in a matter of minutes. Ensuring that they are at the top of their game, around 50 DRF personnel recently underwent a two-week training on collapsed structure search and rescue by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) trainers, he added.

Director General Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy also conducted a review meeting with all the District Fire Officers where he discussed the preparedness for the upcoming summer season. In the last few weeks, over 72 firefighters were put through rigorous training in various rescue techniques. In Hyderabad, 26 trainee officers recently completed the required upskilling sessions.

Apart from regular training and awareness programmes, the department has kept all fire stations on high alert with fire vehicles, pumps and other fire fighting and rescue equipment inspected and kept in working condition.