Fire and emergency services not only in state, but all over the nation has nowadays become a very important service in accidents and disasters continuously happening all around. Specially the fire and emergency services are nowadays facing a major challenges of keeping themselves on toes to face and avoid any untowards incidents, specially the major fires which are nowadays becoming a regular course. Due to the fast urbanization and use of various chemicals, plastics, rubber etc flammable and combustible materials coupled with heavy electrical loads and specially large use of electrical gadgets has increased fire and allied risk to an alarm level. Along with this LPG, CNG, PNG, LNG and likewise chemicals used for cooking as well in automobiles with dangerous battery operated EV vehicles has also created major challenge for fire and emergency services.

Each and every citizen either from rural or urban area, needs to take cognizance of all this hazardous materials, action reaction and keep themselves well versed with the advance fire fighting equipments, knowledge and its use., Even every person is supposed to know and take care of the structure and passive fire prevention part of the subject. Either it is a abutting road width, access road width, side margins, number and size of staircases, importance of refuge area etc. People r supposed to take the training of and practice self rescue techniques as well. Fire and Life safety is a subject which every body needs to understand its significance. The knowledge of fire and life safety measures and its related act of 2006, and National building code 2016 part 4 which illustrates the safe design code of the building construction to understand has become the need of the hour.

Fire and emergency department of the municipal corporations or the state, take due care and keep themselves along with their men and machinery in readiness for any eventuality. Services do offer various training programs and conducts mock drills in schools, colleges, residential buildings, commercial buildings, industries, etc to create awareness and sensitize common people.

I urge all citizens to take advantage of the training mock drill programs and keep themselves update with the fire and rescue techniques for self,their families, their building premises and society as a whole. Let's come and strive together for the safe and betterment of Fire safe society and make our nation a Surakshit Bharat.

(This "CFO Talks" Published in May 2022 Edition)