Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju inaugurated a national workshop on “An Integrated Approach to Fire Safety” here today on the occasion of the 'Fire Service Day'. Shri Kiren Rijiju said that the efforts put in by the firemen invariably do not get reflected. The job of firemen is so difficult that it cannot be performed effectively, if proper equipment is not provided to them, he added.Kiren Rijiju said that allocation of more resources and modernization of fire services is needed, so that the entire system can be more robust. The Minister said that the state Governments need to strictly enforce the fire safety regulations. He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs is persuading the states to incorporate the provisions to the Building Code to ensure proper safety of life and property. He also said that the MHA provides technical support, guidance and assistance in this field to the states. Shri Kiren Rijiju said that the MHA has already decided to further upgrade and modernise the National Fire Service College, Nagpur and a scheme of Rs. 205 crore is already in progress.
Kiren Rijiju said that the Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards are working together as first responders to the disasters and form an integral part of the disaster management system. He said that they play a vital role in preparing community for disaster management by imparting appropriate training to them. A trained community responds well in cases of disasters and also helps in effective relief and rescue work, he added. Shri Kiren Rijiju said that the National Workshop on ‘An Integrated Approach to Fire Safety’ is a positive step towards sharing of knowledge and technology among the various stakeholders in the country. During the event, a commemorative Postage Stamp was released on ‘Fire Services of India’ to mark the importance of the Fire Services Day. The day long workshop included two technical sessions to discuss the issues like force multiplying endeavours in mitigating fire hazards and implementation of e-governance in fire and emergency services.
Smt. Archana Ramasundaram, DG, Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards and SSB, Shri Braj Kishore Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri T. Murthy, Member (Operations), Postal Service Board, Shri D. K. Shami, Fire Advisor and other senior officers from Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology were also present. The event started with lighting of lamp, followed by a documentary on the devastating fire on SS Fort Strikine ship in the year 1944. Two minutes silence was observed in the memory of sacrifices made by the firemen during that incident.