BMC plans to induct women in fire brigade……..Sukhada Tatke
MUMBAI: The BMC is trying to bridge the gender gap in the fire brigade. Civic officials on Friday decided to bring women power to the service sector.
The decision was taken at a disaster management drive organised by the BMC at Shivaji Park in Dadar. According to officials, they noticed awkwardness among men while dealing with women at the mock drill that took place on Friday.
“We realised that while men were lifted easily, there was an amount of reservation when it came to women. That’s when everyone agreed that women need to be admitted to the force. Municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya was also receptive to the idea,” said additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar. Kshatriya said the BMC should have a helicopter to tackle emergencies. Now, officials will prepare an administrative proposal and put it up before the standing committee.
A disaster management seminar was also organised by the BMC. Called Tatpar-Mumbai 2010 or Alert Mumbai, it includes a two-day exercise and exhibition. “It is important to spread awareness among people on what to do and how to attend to injured people,” said Mahesh Narvekar, chief officer of the BMC’s disaster management cell.
Three explosions were simulated over the weekend as part of an exhibition and drill on disaster management techniques. A mock blast on Saturday, the first day, included 70 Civil Defence volunteers. The simulated scene of mass casualties unfolded at Shivaji Park in Dadar, where a “bomb” was kept in a bag, followed by a series of make-believe explosions.
About 54 stalls were put up by agencies including BARC, Aeronautical Society of India and the Mumbai police bomb squad.