8 fire officers , jawans from State awarded President’s medals

Mumbai, Apr. 14: With the increasing population , the upward growth of metropolitan cities and the growing industrial areas, dealing with fires and other disasters has become a challenge. Fires caused by chemicals , industrial accidents , natural disasters and terrorist attacks are posing new challenges to the fire service. In this situation, the fire service has an important responsibility to protect infrastructure facilities , maintain the security of public places and protect industrial assets, asserted Governor C P Radhakrishnan here today.

The State Level Fire Service Week was inaugurated at Raj Bhavan , Mumbai in the presence of the Governor on the occasion of National Fire Day.

Eight fire officers and employees from the Mumbai Fire Department and other municipal corporations in the state were awarded the President’s Medal for Quality Fire Service by the Governor on this occasion.

Stating that the fire department should seriously consider the use of artificial intelligence and increasing the use of drones in firefighting operations, the Governor said that the force should continuously enhance the skills and train its officers and employees.

The Governor said that in metropolitan cities like Mumbai, housing societies should be involved in fire safety awareness activities and regular fire audits of housing societies and industrial establishments should be conducted.

Create a fire research institute

The Governor said that a research institute should be created to comprehensively study the subject of firefighting , new technologies should be used in firefighting, and environmentally friendly fire retardants should be developed for firefighting.

The Governor said that the experience of retired fire officers should be utilized in firefighting operations.

The Governor said that as the Chancellor of 29 public universities in the state , he feels that short-term firefighting courses for youth should be started in colleges and universities .

On this occasion, the Governor presented the President’s Medal to Mumbai Fire Department Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar , Mumbai Fire Department Deputy Chief Fire Officer Deepak Ghosh , Sub Officer Sunil Gaikwad , Leading Fireman Parag Dalvi , Fireman Tatu Parab , Pune Municipal Corporation Fire Engine Driver Karimkhan Pathan , Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad City Municipal Corporation Fireman Kasappa Laxman Mane and Pune Municipal Corporation Fire Attendant Narasimha Patel.

On this occasion, Maharashtra Fire Service Director Santosh Warik pinned a fire flag on the Governor’s attire. The Governor contributed to the Fire Service Employees Welfare Fund and appealed to the public to contribute more to the fund.

The program was attended by senior fire officers from the Mumbai Fire Department , industrial establishments, and the Maharashtra Fire Service .

National Fire Service Day is observed on April 14th in memory of the fire officers and personnel who lost their lives in the 1944 ship explosion at Mumbai Dockyard, and Fire Week is observed from this day onwards.