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Floating devices for flood rescue missions...Pune fire brigade puts plastic waste to good use
the fire officials will also be offering training to citizens who reside near the riverside, streams and lake in using those boats in an effective manner
After three days of heavy rain, the Pune fire department has swung into action to solidify their monsoon preparations by making unique rescue boats out of wastage materials of large barrels, plastic cans and mineral water bottles.
The flash floods of September 25, 2019, where 22 people lost their lives are still fresh in the minds of Pune residents and the fire brigade.
Learning a lesson from that tragedy and to be better prepared for this year’s monsoon and rescue operations, the makeshift boats are being constructed by the fire department.
In addition to the boats, the fire officials will also be offering training to citizens who reside near the riverside, streams and lake in using those boats in an effective manner.
“We already have rubber boats, pumps, life jackets, rocket launchers which are used mostly during the rainy season rescue operations. But learning from last year’s tragedy of heavy rains and flash floods, we have now made a different kind of boats with the help of empty plastic barrels of 200 litres. Two such barrels are taken then bamboos are tied in the upper side and a small boat is made out of it which can float easily. Around eight to 10 people can sit over it and can be rescued. Another 5, 10 and 20 litres empty cans are used to make smaller size boats. These small boats can easily go inside the narrow lanes where waterlogging is there and 2 to 3 persons can be rescued using it. Also, from the smaller 1-litre water bottles we have made a very compact boat through which a single person can float and can be rescued. It is an improvised version of the things we had in the wastage materials,” said chief fire officer Prashant Ranpise.
According to Ranpise, the biggest difficulty rescue officials faced last year during the flash floods that hit Katraj and Dandekar bridge was reaching the small lanes and narrow areas.
“Considering this, during the lockdown period we prepared these makeshift boats with the waste and throwaway materials.,” he said.
The goal of the fire brigade is not just to construct these boats but to train residents living next to water bodies to make these boats themselves.
“We are going to give training to the public about making such boats. There was no expense in making these boats, it was an idea of our senior firemen and we made it. We have currently made three boats of each type and size and kept it at the Erandwane fire station. If needed, more such boats will be made as per the need or requirement to fire stations,” added Ranpise.