The request from city residents and traders to set up a temporary fire station till the completion of a new building for the Kozhikode Beach station is yet to be considered by the Department of Finance. It has been pending for over eight months even after a corporate firm came forward to hand over around 40 cents for setting up the temporary facility.
Leaders of various merchant organisations and functionaries of the Malabar Development Council (MDC) pointed out that the redeployment of fire service personnel from the Beach station had severely affected the fast service delivery of the force during emergency situations. Rescue squads from distant stations such as Meenchanda and Vellimadukunnu would not be able to reach the city quickly, and it increased the risk factor, they added.
According to MDC members, memorandums had already been submitted to the Chief Minister and the other authorities citing the necessity of setting up a fire station in the heart of the city. “What we now seek is the government’s immediate support for setting up a temporary firefighting facility in the wake of the searing summer season and chances of fire outbreaks,” they said.
The Kozhikode beach station had more than 30 fire officers who were redeployed to nearby stations around 10 months ago. Though they had been given instructions to keep an eye on distress calls from the city, the relocation had affected their quick service delivery. There were even complaints that the rescue teams had reached scenes of fire outbreaks after local residents managed to douse the flames.
“In Kozhikode city, there are several vulnerable spots like S.M. Street, Valiyangadi, and other commercial streets. Fire can easily spread to a larger area within seconds if not attended to quickly by a professional team. We are really concerned about the existing situation,” said P.N. Babu, a wholesale garment supplier in the city. He added that the district administration should take note of the situation and do the needful.
Meanwhile, sources in the Fire and Rescue Services department expressed hope that the demand for a temporary station could be addressed by making use of the available private land. They also said that mobile firefighting units would be available round the clock within the city limits to meet any emergency situation.
