New ladders will help Delhi fire dept cut response time
Officials said the new machines, which have been designed in collaboration with the DFS, are not only cheaper but can also be deployed in shorter time than the bigger, imported skylifts which can reach up to a height of 50 metres.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has inducted smaller fire engines with hydraulic ladders as part of an effort to improve operational capabilities in handling fires in buildings shorter than 15 metres --- which according to the DFS data comprise most the spots where they are called for rescue missions.
Officials said the new machines, which have been designed in collaboration with the DFS, are not only cheaper but can also be deployed in shorter time than the bigger, imported skylifts which can reach up to a height of 50 metres.
Called ‘mini aerial hydraulic platforms’, the DFS has inducted four of these machines. “The new machines will bring down the response time and help save lives and property,” said DFS chief Atul Garg.
He explained that manoeuvring and deploying the current skylifts prove difficult in congested spaces as it needs at least a space of 20 feet to deploy. In cases of fire incidents in multi-storey buildings, the new machines will provide better response time as they are as small a normal fire tender and can easily be deployed in areas where is no space to use bulky machines.
Fire department statistics show that it received 13,433 fire and rescue related calls between April 1 and October 18 this year – nearly 67 calls every day. Of them nearly 25 calls made daily were related to seeking assistance of firemen for rescuing birds and animals. A majority of the remaining calls were related to fire in factories, godowns, and buildings in unauthorised colonies – all having heights between 15 and 18 metres.
“Except that the imported aerial platform is the only available option for tackling fire and rescue operations in high-rise buildings, the mini aerial platforms have similar features. It’s smaller in size, cost effective, time saving and more helpful in situations where fire fighting and rescue operations are to be carried out in congested neighbourhoods,” said a senior DFS official.
“We apprised the concerned officials in the Delhi government about the situations and circumstances and floated the idea of procuring locally designed and manufactured aerial hydraulic platform. The idea for such vehicle came from the vehicles that the electricity department uses for maintenance of street lights. After the government’s approval, we designed a mini aerial platform and got it manufactured from the vendor,” said Garg.
“We have inducted four mini platforms in our fleet and they have being used on trial basis. So far, their response and feedback from our fire fighters are positive and encouraging,” he added.