New tech to replace traditional fire fighting
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, APRIL 12
The State Fire and Emergency Services has plans to procure new generation small-sized fire fighting vehicles which will be equipped with new technology of mist cannons besides raising motor-cycle response teams in the coastal areas.
“The water sprayed will be in the form of mist, which will be 200 micron thick. It will extinguish the fire and also save the water,” Ashok Menon, Director of Fire and Emergency Services told reporters.
He said that the fire tenders would be replaced with new sophisticated vehicles, smaller in size, mounted with the technology which will spray water-mist. “It will have optimum usage of water and will be more effective in dousing the fire,” Menon said.
With vehicle population taking toll on the response time of the big fire tenders, the fire services has also decided to have these smaller vehicles which will have quick response.
Menon said that the vehicles would be procured from centrally sponsored scheme. “In the beginning, we will have two such vehicles,” he added.
The fire and emergency department will maintain its old vehicles with traditional technology as it is expensive to convert them into a new system.
Tuning its response time, the services have also decided to have motorcycle-borne personnel, who will reach the spot quickly for the rescue.
“The fire fighters trained in basic life support will travel on motorcycles so that the help reaches faster. The fire tender, if required, can follow,” he said.
The fire services’ expansion plans in the tourist belt have hit a roadblock due to unavailability of space to have the sub-stations.
“We are planning an outpost for Calangute-Candolim belt,” he said adding that space crunch is an issue to have sub stations in the tourism belt.
The services with 14 fire stations have also planning a sub station at Patto, Panjim for which EDC has offered to give the required land.
A 32-metre high aerial ladder platform would be stationed at Patton. Menon said that the department is in the process of buying the required ladder as the sky rise buildings with ground plus eight floors are cropping up across state’s cities.
The department has also decided to train teachers so that there is awareness about the fire fighting and life safety in different schools.
