Fire safety week begins, new initiatives on the anvil

Every year, during the fire service week that runs from April 14 to 20, fire services all over the country organise various programs like demonstrations, lectures, rallies, exhibitions and mock drills to educate people on fire safety. This year's theme for the National Fire Service Day is 'Learn Fire Safety, Increase Productivity.'

As a part of the initiative, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), along with the Mumbai Fire Brigade, has started an initiative whereby a fire & life safety auditor will be appointed to help citizens in getting the necessary permissions for fire safety while constructing any building in the city. “They will ensure better safety in the residential buildings having a height up to 32 meters. This will create an environment for citizens to ensure better fire safety in the fastest way, without approaching the fire brigade, while at the same time, ensuring utmost safety in the building,” chief fire officer Hemant Parab said.

Fire & life safety auditors are professionals in the field of fire safety and they are appointed based on their qualifications, experience and knowledge. “Today, on the eve of the Fire Service Day, we are appointing a fire & life safety auditor for work within MCGM limits. The list of auditors is available on the MCGM website so that people can access the information easily and appoint them for their development projects,” said Parab.

“In the first stage of empanelment, Mumbai Fire Brigade is appointing 72 'Fire & Life Safety Auditors' who will help people to get their buildings certified in terms of safety. This process is a perpetual process and in the future will have more professionals on board to help people to get their buildings certified in terms of fire safety,” added Parab.

Apart from this, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has developed a state-of-the-art software-based system for building inspection to effectively carry out inspection of various buildings under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention & Life Safety Measures Act, 2006.

“This system will help the Fire Brigade to carry out inspection of buildings effectively and to monitor the compliance thereof. The system will automatically monitor the compliance period granted to the applicant, failing which action deemed fit will be initiated through the legal department of MCGM,” said Parab.