Delhi Fire Service is facing a tough time as numbers of fire accidents have increased amid risk of coronavirus infections during this summer season. The soaring temperature is increasing the workload on the fire department with a spike in fire-related incidents in the national capital. According to Delhi Fire Service, around 120 phone calls are being received every day, making it tougher for them to handle the difficulties amid coronavirus pandemic.
Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Department, said, “We have received the highest number of 122 calls on 25 May. As the heat increases, fire accidents also increase. In the third-fourth week of May, we have received more than 120 calls every day. We have a network of 2,600 people stationed across 63 fire stations in Delhi.” The situation this year is completely different and there are additional challenges before the fire department. The department has to save people from coronavirus and also it has to protect its own men from infections.
Garg said that the fire can be controlled within a few hours but if anyone gets infected, he or she has to be quarantined for 14 days. “When our team goes to extinguish fire in a house, it does not know whether the person living there is coronapositive or not. We have made our internal guidelines to send only two of our fire personnel inside the house, fully equipped with masks and gloves, specially designed helmets and gumboots. After coming out, they are immediately sanitised,” Garg added.