NEW DELHI:
Delhi Fire Service
will set up two centres where it will provide fire safety training to citizens through the virtual mode. The training centres will be set up at the fire stations at Nehru Place and another whose location will be determined soon. “The setup will be done before March 31,” a fire officer said.
These
fire labs
will have stimulators to recreate live fire situations and people equipped with 3D glasses will learn how to extinguish fires and correctly handle a hose, fire extinguishers and other firefighting gear.
Twenty people can be trained at once at the labs.
Various modules with specific time periods will be offered to the people. Many will be tailored to specific circumstances. For example, housewives can train with scenarios of kitchen fires or exploding gas cylinders and learn how to contain the flames and operate fire extinguishers.
Firefighters
themselves will have access to more advanced modules that simulate factory fires or rescue situations in burning buildings. This immersive approach aims to provide participants with realistic fires to hone their response skills.
The fire officer outlined several advantages of the virtual training labs, highlighting their environmental friendliness and improved safety. "Traditional training often relies on controlled fires, which only add to pollution. Additionally, there's always a risk of injuries during physical exercises. With virtual training, we eliminate these concerns entirely," the officer explained. Another officer said digital training also did not necessitate a big space.
Atul Garg, director, DFS, stated that this marked the first time in India of a fire service establishing virtual training
labs
for the public. “We have consistently provided training and awareness videos for diverse audiences,” he said. “These new centres represent a significant innovation and addition to our training system.”
Garg said that Delhi suffered an average of 80 fires every day and equipping people with the knowledge about self-rescue and early fire control measures was crucial.
DFS has been focusing on modernisation of the department. It has procured rescue tripods, mini robots, smoke ejectors, telescopic rescue poles, three modified sky lifts and a snake tower. It is also planning to add drones with the ability to spray foam from a cylinder. Blazes at a height of 60 metres, or around the 28th floor, can be doused and all-terrain firefighting vehicles with a compressed air foam system can be used to ensure smooth operations on congested city lanes.
English (US) ·