FIRE BRIGADE DEPARTMENT OUTLINED FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES

FIRE BRIGADE DEPARTMENT OUTLINED FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES

23-MARCH-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA------------------------------In light of the surge in fire incidents observed at the onset of the summer season, officials from the Fire Department have intensified their awareness campaign regarding fire prevention. As part of this initiative, department officials and personnel are visiting villages to advise residents on fire safety and the necessary precautions to be taken. According to Sub-Inspector Umashankar Tiwari, the officer-in-charge of the Piro Fire Station, the majority of fire incidents in villages are caused by the burning of crop stubble; consequently, villagers are being specifically advised against this practice. During the summer season, westerly winds typically prevail, creating a persistent risk of fire outbreaks. With this in mind, rural women who cook using firewood and cow-dung cakes are being advised to prepare their meals either before 9:00 AM or after 6:00 PM. Furthermore, until the harvest season concludes, residents are being advised to take precautions such as keeping water pumpsets ready near fields, refraining from smoking *bidis* or cigarettes in the vicinity of crops, and avoiding the movement of tractors, harvesters, or similar machinery through the middle of cultivated fields. In the event of a crop fire, people are being advised to cut and clear a section of the crop in the direction the fire is spreading, remove crops growing around electrical transformers or utility poles, and immediately notify the Electricity Department regarding any loose power lines passing over the fields. Fire Department officials emphasized that by exercising caution and maintaining composure in the event of a fire, the extent of damage caused by such incidents can be significantly minimized.