MARGAO
The 15 fire hydrants recently installed around the congested and fire-prone Margao Municipal New Market have been tested and found to have adequate water pressure for fire-fighting operations.
However, the moot question remains: who will initiate fire-fighting operations in the crucial minutes between the outbreak of a fire and the arrival of the fire brigade?
Fire Officer Gill D’Souza said the fire hydrants installed by the PWD had reported sufficient water pressure to undertake fire-fighting operations in the event of outbreak of fire in the market. He, however, stressed that market traders and Margao Municipal Council (MMC) staff, including security personnel, must be given basic training in operating the hydrants for their optimum utilisation.
“Since the fire hydrants are finally in place, someone should operate the facility between the time a fire breaks out in the market and the arrival of the fire tender. This time is more crucial in any fire-fighting operation. If someone operates the hydrants and starts fire-fighting immediately, the damage can be contained,” D’Souza said.
He added that the hydrants would also save valuable time for fire tenders, which otherwise have to return for refilling during prolonged fire-fighting operations.
“No doubt, the fire hydrants will save the time required by fire tenders for refilling. With the fire hydrants located around the market, they will come in handy for the fire brigade to commence operations without depending on refilling or additional fire tenders,” he said.
D’Souza underscored the need to train traders as well as MMC staff in the use of the hydrants so that a fire can be brought under control at the earliest possible stage.
The Fire Officer has called for dedicated fire-fighting training for traders and MMC staff, particularly on how to open the hydrant cabinets and connect and operate the hose pipes.
Meanwhile, Margao MLA and PWD Minister Digambar Kamat has instructed the Fire and Emergency Services to immediately impart training to New Market traders and MMC staff to ensure the optimum utilisation of the newly installed system.
Kamat, who inspected a mock drill of the newly installed fire hydrants along with Fire Services and PWD officials, expressed satisfaction over the adequate water pressure available for fire-fighting operations.
The PWD Minister had earlier directed officials to cover the Margao Municipal New Market and Gandhi Market with fire hydrants and a dedicated water pipeline capable of maintaining adequate water pressure, following a series of fire incidents in the congested New Market area.
With the hydrants now in place, officials believe the system could significantly improve the fire response mechanism. However, its effectiveness will ultimately depend on whether trained personnel are available at the market to put the hydrants into operation before the fire brigade arrives.
