Srikakulam District Chief Fire Officer B. Veerabhadra Rao urged all apartment dwellers to install firefighting equipment on their respective floors to ensure a swift response in case of an emergency.
All apartments and individual homes need to install fire safety equipment such as smoke detectors and extinguishers, Mr. Veerabhadra Rao said while inaugurating the Fire Safety Week along with Srikakulam Municipal Commissioner Challa Obulesu at the Srikakulam Fire Station.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that every individual should take special care at home and the workplace in order to prevent untoward incidents. “As per the guidelines, firefighting equipment is mandatory for any building which is over 18 metres tall. Homes and apartments which are below 18 m in height can also install the firefighting equipment for their own safety. A few basic precautions go a long way towards saving precious lives and property,” he said.
Assistant District Fire Officer M. Varaprasad said that people from all walks of life would be involved in week-long awareness programmes. He explained to the people about the firefighting equipment and rescue operation mechanism at the exhibition.
Earlier, the officials offered floral tributes to fire safety officers who died while discharging their duties. They said that the Fire Safety Week was being observed for the last eight decades to mark the 1944 Bombay docks explosion in which 71 fire personnel were killed while battling a major blaze on a ship, officials said.
