Team Herald

PANJIM: Property worth Rs 7.84 crore was saved from being destroyed in fires in the first 45 days of 2017, and so were 21 human lives by the Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services. 

The department has now envisaged setting up coastal fire stations to ensure quicker response in the beach belt. The coastal stations will be integrated with the Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters which are being built under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) of Government of India with World Bank funding. 

As per the data released by the department during its 29th Annual Inspection Day Parade on Saturday, Rs 7.84 crore property is been saved from fire and other accidents, while the loss is estimated at Rs 1.87 crore.

Addressing the function, Director Ashok Menon said, “We have been systematically integrating specialized equipments in fire fighting, life safety, search and rescue to make our capability to the rising complexities of urban life.”

Menon said the government has recently approved procurement of additional turn table ladder of 32 metres for fire fighting and life rescue from high rise building in Margao. “We have also planned similar facility in phases for Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa,” he stated.

Speaking in the presence of Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, he said the government has approved the proposal for re-designing and re-construction of existing building and additional construction of new administrative and training block in Panjim. 

The department has so far trained 3615 teachers from 2236 schools on fire safety awareness response skill. It also launched a new training programme on Safer School Safer India.

 focusing on primary school students and from April 2015 till date, around 144 primary teachers from 77 schools have been trained. These teachers have trained over 11,300 children.