Mumbai: New training centre to simulate real life fires

The Mumbai fire brigade (MFB) department will soon get a world class training centre, where firemen will be trained in real-life situations. The centre will come up in Kandivali's Thakur Village, and will be the first of its kind in the country. Given the rising number of fire-related incidents in Mumbai and difficulties faced by firemen, their preparedness has become of paramount importance. At the drill centre, the firemen will be put through tough situations to simulate real life scenarios.

"There will be a rope rescue training for vertical rescue operations, while a similar environment for horizontal operations would also be set up," said an MFB official, adding that the simulators will be used to recreate fire-like conditions as well. There would also be dummy residential and commercial structures, populated with dummy citizens.

"We will create smoke-filled rooms or fire-like conditions. Firemen will be sent to survive the events and complete the tasks," he said. "It's important that the firemen be trained to respond to all fire sites to the best of their abilities."

During the Budget for 2018-19, the civic body stressed on upgradation of the fire department and the setting up an integrated command and control room at its Byculla headquarters. The control room is nearing completion.