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'Robotic Arms' may soon be fighting fire in capital

The robotic arm tenders will also have cameras and sensors installed to help the operator know the range of water, the amount of force required and volume of water available in the tank, he added.

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Narrow lanes have long been the bane of Delhi's Fire Department. Time and again, crowded lanes have hindered Delhi's Fire Department from reaching the spot, saving arms and helping to put the fire.

But now, in a novel solution to the problem, the fire department has made plans to procure 'robotic fire fighting towers'. A new technology---"robotic arms" can throw water for up to 72 meters away and from a height of 32 meters, as big boon for firefighters who currently have a big difficulty getting the fire truck and hose pipes to the fire spot.

While the idea is great in theory senior Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials say that things are still in the planning stage at the moment.

"We are making a proposal for the technology which will be very useful in areas that are difficult to reach. With 32 meters of height one can easily target any spot in a particular radius and directly aim at the fire. This would give time to the firemen who, in the meantime, will reach the spot and make the necessary arrangements," said a senior DFS officer.

The idea for the new technology came out at a recent meeting held at L-G Anil Baijal's office. Senior officers from the DFS and AAP minister Satyender Jain and the L-G himself participated in discussing challenges faced by the force which is severely short staffed.

"The technology is being looked into and we are getting details about it. It is being used in Germany and China. We will have to import it from one of these countries. The expected cost per machine should be somewhere around Rs 3 to 4 crore," said the officer.

The robotic arm tenders will also have cameras and sensors installed to help the operator know the range of water, the amount of force required and volume of water available in the tank, he added.

Such technology will help in dealing with crises such as the one that the Capital witnessed recently. Over two weeks ago, 100 families lost their source of income, as a short circuit caused a fire in Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk area. Several wholesale shops were gutted and once again, narrow lanes were the problem.

Officials from the Fire Department had then said the situation could have been controlled if they could reach the shops on fire, within time. But the narrow, congested and serpentine lanes proved to be too much of hindrance.

Deaths and injuries in fire incidents

2012 to 2013
Deaths – 285 Injured – 1,979

2013 to 2014
Deaths – 372 Injured — 2,299

2014 to 2015
Deaths – 291 Injured — 2,068

2015 to 2016
Deaths – 339 Injured – 2,099

2016 to 2017
Deaths – 277 Injured — 1,987

Incidents that claimed firemen's lives

Feb 2017 - Two firemen died following a cylinder blast during a fire in Vikaspuri area

Sep 2016 - Two firefighters died after they were trapped during a rescue operation inside a factory that had caught fire in Narela

Sep 2004 - Eight firemen charred to death while conducting operations after a massive fire broke out at a timber market in Kirti Nagar

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