With an objective to mitigate losses in fire mishaps, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Fire Brigade department today launched ‘Fire Volunteer Programme’ to train citizens in tackling emergency situations.
Chief Fire Officer of the department P S Rahangdale launched the campaign at its headquarters in Byculla here.
Actor Randeep Hooda has been appointed as the ambassador for the programme.
“Under the campaign, we would train citizens on how to cope and react in the golden hours or first few minutes of the (fire) breakout, which is very crucial to control,” Rahangdale said.
“This effort is the first and foremost line of defense before the fire brigade reaches the disaster spot,” the officer said, adding that they plan to build an army of active volunteers across the city.
The department targets to impart training to 70,000 volunteers in total with 1,000 volunteers each month.
“We are going to give training men and women aged 15 and above. After completing the training, we would issue ID-cards and certificates and store their database with us,” Rahangdale said.
“We would be training residents of housing societies about basic fire-fighting techniques, refuge areas in the buildings, how to use building’s inbuilt fire-fighting equipment,” he added.
He apprised that his department has received 684 registration calls on its helpline number.
The training was today run at three command centres at Byculla, Mankhurd and Borivili, the officer said, adding they envisage to add three more centres.
Last year, a massive blaze had engulfed a building in South Mumbai’s Kalba Devi and claimed lives of four senior fire brigade officials besides causing heavy loss of property.
