According to a Home Ministry study, India needs at least 8,599 fire stations, but only 2,087 are currently operational.
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Today, cities in India are developing at a tremendous pace. However, in the process of urbanization, it has become imperative to strengthen infrastructure while creating new cities and expanding old ones. Upgrading fire protection systems, especially in rural and urban areas, has become a priority these days. Densely populated cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore should have accurate fire protection systems. Failure to pay attention to such systems could lead to catastrophic disasters, as new construction is taking place in these cities. It is necessary to take active steps in the present situation without waiting for these accidents to happen in the future.
There have been many such accidents in Mumbai in the last one year. In the Kamla Mill accident in December 2017, 14 people lost their lives. A few days later, eight people died at the ESIC workers' hospital. Many things caused these accidents. The hotel at Kamala Mills did not have an official license for hookah, the previously installed fire protection system was not working, the way out was not clearly indicated, the hospital fire safety test failed, the sprinkler system was not working and the fire spread rapidly due to flammable materials in the yard.
Mumbai the second most crowded city on the planet, with the population of 20 million people. Mumbai is also one of the largest slums in the world. Nearly half of Mumbai's population lives in slums spread across the city. Due to the huge crowds in these settlements and the dense population of the city as a whole, the emergency management has no choice but to look for narrow roads. Firefighters are unable to reach people in such slums due to lack of proper equipment. According to a fire official, the houses are not long enough to reach the center of the slums. Also firefighters cannot reach the center in such settlements due to limited access for vehicles. Such settlements often contain a variety of flammable substances, which can cause immediate outbreaks and major damage. Not only that, but the city's tallest buildings are also at risk.
Even though the new buildings in Mumbai are reaching the stage of 100 floors, it should not be forgotten that the height of fire trucks can only increase up to 30 floors. The water pumps in these vehicles can only use water up to 30 feet (10 floors). Given these high-rise buildings and poor track record of complying with fire regulations, such buildings can be extremely dangerous. As the city of Mumbai grows, the slums expand and the buildings get taller, the state government and the municipal administration should take immediate steps to manage such disasters.
From a national perspective, a study sponsored by the Ministry of Home Affairs states that India needs at least 8,599 fire stations; But at present only 2,087 centers are functioning. It also said that India still needs 5,59,681 trained firefighters, 2,21,411 firefighting equipment and 9,337 firefighting vehicles and units. In 2015, 17,700 people died in such accidents due to low investment in fire protection systems. Given India's growing population, these numbers will continue to rise if proper investment in fire safety equipment is not made.
The rules for the safety of citizens are laid down by the BMC. But as long as these rules are not strictly enforced or have flaws in them, the safety of the country's hardworking citizens will be in jeopardy. According to one of the rules, 'Demonstrations of firefighting system and evacuation system should be carried out regularly in consultation with the Mumbai Fire Brigade and a record should be kept of it.' However, there is no complementary definition of the word 'regular'. The word 'regular' can mean once in a month or once in ten years. That is why it is important to give subtle details in the regulations.
One more thing that should be included in the fire safety guidelines is that some of these rules should be limited to the specific capabilities of the people in the buildings and shops. Many buildings or shops with a capacity of less than 50 people often do not have fire safety regulations in place. You should take responsibility for enforcing up-to-date rules in such buildings and inspecting them regularly at least once a year. The municipal administration should identify the errors in these instructions and remove them and implement the rules prominently and proactively.
But, Mumbai is not the only city in the world with such problems. The city of Rio de Janeiro has similar fire safety problems. A fire in the densely populated city of Rio de Janeiro in developing Brazil has destroyed a 200-year-old national museum. About 20 million objects were set on fire, including the remains of a 12,000-year-old woman. Lack of caution in sections with sensitive structures can lead to the destruction of historical artifacts and invaluable assets. Following the tragedy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian prosecutors requested that six other national museums be closed until the fire protection system was updated. The request was granted and urgent steps are being taken to preserve the culture and history of Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro conducts citywide fire safety checks targeting local businesses. In Rio de Janeiro alone, about 120 sites were closed for failing to meet fire safety standards. Another 50 commercial sites were fined but allowed to remain open, while another 20 sites were warned of the danger. Such measures enable firefighters in Rio de Janeiro to protect their citizens. Of course, there is always room for improvement in such cases.
How can growing cities make greater progress in the areas of fire safety and emergency assistance? In the near future, a policy should be drawn up for the cities that are on the path of progress and delivered to those cities. The law requires cities to reserve space for fire stations, firefighting systems and fire lenses / parking spots. Such a change would make it easier to help in the event of a fire or disaster. Cities should invest more in fire protection systems.
Today there is a huge scope for investment in fire protection systems, especially fire protection technology. But unfortunately, in the last three years till 2020, Mumbai's fire and disaster management budget has been reduced by 38%. By 2050, almost 70% of the world's population will live in cities. That is why India and all the countries of the world should know the importance of fire protection system while constructing buildings and expanding cities. If you do not do this, you will have nothing left to worry about.
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