Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Suggestions to improve fire services pouring in

By K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI NOV. 5. Nearly a year after the Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) Commission was constituted, recording of suggestions to make the department competent to face challenges seems to be picking up now.

Headed by K.S. Bakthavatsalam, a former judge of the Madras High Court, the Commission has so far heard the views of 31 experts, including heads of departments, police officers, representatives of professional bodies and consumer protection activists. The last hearing was held yesterday. The Commission is planning to visit the fire services headquarters in Delhi to get firsthand information about the functioning of the department there.

By a November 19, 2002 order, the Government appointed the Commission with wide-ranging terms of reference to cover all issues of fire safety, prevention, training of personnel and modernisation, and a re-look at relevant laws to better empower the FRS.

The objective behind the setting up of the Commission was that there should be no need for effecting fundamental steps in the long run to enable the department to face the challenges, a senior FRS officia told The Hindu. The department faced a much bigger challenge at present owing to rapid urbanisation, congestion, changing pattern of human habitations and hazards with an increase in industrial units. The latest threat was from terrorism.

Taking various aspects into consideration, the Government said the Commission would assess the nature of calamities, which could be anticipated, and the changes to be made in the department. The panel would consider whether the existing FRS stations were adequate and suggest ways to enhance the technical competence of the department. The Commission was also asked to examine the recruitment policy, promotional avenues and service conditions.

Officers from the City Police, Home Guards, CMDA, Metrowater, FRS, Factories, Forest, Town and Country Planning and Explosives departments, and representatives from the Loss Prevention Association of India, fire safety association and a consumer group had submitted their ideas and suggestions to the Commission. "The suggestions of more experts are awaited," the official said.

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