KARACHI, May 16: The city government’s Fire Department is being upgraded on modern lines to meet the growing requirements of the metropolis. Despite being under-staffed and ill-equipped, the department not only caters to the needs of the entire municipal area, but also the five cantonment areas, Railways and the lands falling under federal departments.

According to the international standards, a city like Karachi must have more than 100 fire stations. The city has an average of more than 1,400 fires of minor and major nature every year that include domestic fire, industrial complex fire and hutment fire.

Provincial Minister for Local Government Muhammad Hussein has directed the Chief Fire Officer for repatriation of all the Fire Department personnel to the department from various other departments of the city government.

As against the sanctioned strength of 850, the department has about 700 currently at its disposal while 73 workers, mainly firemen and drivers, of the Central Fire Office and as many workers belonging to other fire stations are serving in other CDGK departments.

This is one of the major reasons that the city about 140 million population has only 21 fire stations which include one each at Saddar, Site, Nazimabad, Orangi, Lyari, Landhi, Gulistan-i-Mustafa, Korangi, Shah Faisal, Manzoor Colony, North Karachi, Baldia Town, Mauripur, Clifton, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, National Highway and Old Sabzimandi besides the ERC at Hawkesbay and Central Fire Station.

Some of the fire stations at important locations like Mauripur Truck Stand and Baldia Town provide only day-time service owing to lack of facilities, equipment and manpower. Similarly, the station at Mauripur does not have any building or shelter but only a canvas tent to house the staff.

Karachi’s is the only fire department in the country to be provided 21 Toyota pickup fire-tenders by the UNDP under the National Disaster Management Agency to be established soon.

In a presentation to the UNDP in this regard, Chief Fire Officer Kazim Ali called for the provision small vehicles which could fight the fire in narrow lanes and congested areas.

He told PPI that with the repatriation of staff and induction of these fire-tenders, the department would be in a position to establish new fire stations and improve the overall firefighting capabilities.

Stressing the need for a reinforce volunteerism, he said that the department alone could not meet the growing requirements of the mega city.—PPI