Pune Fire Brigade to Get Advanced Vehicles for 15+ Floor Fires; 5 New Stations Opening Soon |
As frequent fires continue to trouble Punekars, the Pune Fire Brigade is set to be reinforced this year with additional manpower and advanced machinery. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is ready to procure state-of-the-art equipment, including six advanced multipurpose fire engines and five more vehicles capable of shooting water above 15 floors.
Furthermore, five new fire stations, including those at Baner, Kharadi, and Chandani Chowk, will be inaugurated in the next two months. Additionally, the fire brigade plans to hire and train 150 more firefighters, with another 300 staff set to join in phases, strengthening the city’s emergency response capabilities.
Not just fires, but the fire brigade deals with different kinds of rescues, from a man stuck in a tree to a mother and child locked by mistake inside a house.
Total fire calls in 2024
The total number of calls received by the Pune Fire Brigade has seen a significant increase over the past four years, from 4,700 calls in 2020 to 5,628 calls in 2024 (till November). The number of fire-related calls has fluctuated over the years, with a slight increase in 2023 (783 calls) compared to 2020 (699 calls). As of November 2024, there have been 765 fire calls. While the city reported 4 out-of-limit fires in 2024 and 388 grass fires, garbage fires have remained consistently high, reaching 571 calls in 2024.
In an interview with the Free Press Journal, Devendra Potfode, Chief of Fire Brigade, Pune, said, “Pune Fire Brigade had 10 tankers and 54 different types of engines in its fleet. However, 27 fire brigade vehicles and 5 tankers have been discarded from service due to the completion of their 15-year tenure as per RTO guidelines. Currently, 27 vehicles and 5 tankers are left in service.”
Vehicles shooting water above 15 floors
“In the city, buildings are reaching up to 20 floors as per the guidelines of PMC permits, with buildings up to 150 meters in height at a few places. Earlier, brigades did not have advanced water pumps, leading to more hard work to shoot water at high altitudes. Sometimes, if the fire is very big, 4 to 5 engines have to be sent to one place, leading to more hard work and careful planning. A proposal of 24 crore has been submitted to the PMC Standing Committee and has been passed,” he added.
“PMC is ready to purchase advanced multipurpose fire engines. Of these, 6 advanced multipurpose engines are worth 11.99 crore, and 1.12 crore is allocated for small engines to enter narrow roads and slums. These have been sent to the PMC’s Standing Committee for approval. Additionally, PMC plans to acquire 5 extra state-of-the-art vehicles, whose pumps are capable of spraying water up to more than 15 floors,” he further added.
Speaking about the manpower, Potfode said, “For the Pune Fire Department, a staff of 900 has been approved. However, 450 staff are deployed, and 150 firefighters will be added on a contract basis. We will train them. The remaining 300 staff will be added soon, in phases. Five new fire stations are in the final stages of construction in areas such as Baner, Kharadi, Mohammed Wadi, Dhayari, and Chandni Chowk. Three stations (Baner, Kharadi, and Chandni Chowk) will be inaugurated in the next two months.”
Speaking about the rising number of cases, Potfode added, “Pune’s geographical area is larger than Mumbai. The majority of the cases are related to fires in garbage, open fires, and grassroots areas. We are trying to educate people about fire safety. Our team regularly inspects schools, colleges, and hospitals. We have strictly instructed builders and society members to follow fire safety norms; otherwise, they will be penalized.”
