PANJIM: The Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) is set to begin training for its first batch of community volunteers in disaster response from April 2022. The State government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for implementing the project titled ‘up-scaling of Aapda Mitra Scheme’ to train community volunteers in rescue and rehabilitation missions.
DFES Director Nitin Raiker said the training to community volunteers to build their capacity for mitigating disasters and handle emergency situations, will commence from the first week of April. As of now, the department has enrolled 350 volunteers whose services will be utilised during the disaster response, relief and rehabilitation.
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“The funds from the central government have been received and the training for the first batch of Aapada Mitra and Apada Sakhi will be launched from April first week, 2022,” he said while speaking to Herald.
During the last calendar year, the department attended 1696 fire calls and 4488 emergency calls wherein 287 human lives and 616 animal lives were saved. Property worth Rs 51.86 crore was saved due to timely action by the fore personnel.
Besides being in the forefront when COVID-19 pandemic hit Goa, the department handled the severe cyclonic storm Tauktae which made a landfall in Arabian Sea on May 15, 2021 along the west to southern coast.
During the two weeks, from May 15 to May 31, 2021, the control room received 1443 emergency calls pertaining to uprooting of the trees on major district roads, highways, residential areas, electricity transformers, electricity poles/lines, etc all of which were attended by the personnel. “Top priority for response was given to clearing of uprooted trees fallen and blocking these places. A total of 242 fire personnel across the 15 fire stations in the State had been round the clock to ensure citizens get the required help in such eventuality,” Raiker said adding that property damaged on account of the Cyclone Tauktae was Rs 2.27 approx and property saved was Rs 3.36 crore.
