While the world was honoring Fire Fighters today on the occasion of International Firefighters Day (IFFD), Udaipur’s fire fighters were found unfamiliar with any such event going on.

Also, the Municipal Corporation who heads fire department was uninterested in dedicating the day to the daredevils, who often risk their lives to save ours.

4^th May of every year is marked as International Firefighters Day in remembrance of those firefighters who lost their life in rescue operations and all dedicated fire fighters. It is marked as thanks giving event to the real heroes for their bravery and dedication.

Long and tiring job, fewer pay and lack of technical facilities are bothering the team of 25 dedicated fire fighters in Udaipur, who work only by their experience as they have not been formally trained before getting posted.

“They only informed us about few techniques like Fire Beating, using sand to control fire which is basically used on hilly areas”, said one of the firefighters.

In other countries fire fighters are trained with Fire Fighting Safety, Fire Fighting Fundamentals, Local Need Training, Live Fire Training, Operational Level Hazardous Material Training etc.

There is no new recruitment in Udaipur Fire Brigade department after 1997, whenever they face lack of manpower, home guards and other government workers are deployed with core team of fire fighters for assistance.

There are 14 temporary drivers, 18 home guards as a volunteer with 25 members team of fire fighters that have 17 big fire brigade vehicles, 3 small vehicles and 1 turbo vehicle.

While discussing about their problems, firefighters told UT that their head office at Ashok Nagar is situated in a place that they face problem while turning their vehicles in emergency situation because of the sharp and narrow curves. They also informed about hydrants that work as a savior at the time of any incident, but there are hardly one or two hydrants available in the city.

As the city is growing rapidly, the number of fire incidents have also gone up which requires well trained, well equipped and energetic team of fire fighters.

Core team of fire fighters consisted of Babu Lal Chauhan, Garage S.P.; Jay Chauhan, Sub Fire Officer; Om Prakash Kumavat, senior Fire Fighter (Working from 32 Years), Amba Lal Meghval (working from 25 Years) and Lok Pal Singh (working from 20 years) with the department and also working as shift in charge.

It is literally uncertain to say when these firefighters will be benefited with all their demands, but on humanitarian grounds and as courtesy Udaipurites should at least thank these daredevils for all their service and dedication they showed all these years.

UT on behalf of every common Udaipurite thanks our firefighters for saving many lives and properties while risking their own life.

Happy Firefighters Day!