MANUAL-1
Particulars of Organization, Functions & Duties
[Section-4 (1) (b) (i)]
FIRE SERVICES
BACKGROUND
The Fire services are not well organized in India. In recent years, the requirements for fire safety cover have increased manifold whereas the development of Fire Service has not made much headway. The setting up of Industrial Plants at a fast pace with extensive use of hazardous materials and the construction of larger and taller buildings have multiplied the problems of fire fighting. The fire hazards are no longer confined to big cities and manufacturing centers only. Vast quantities of hazardous commodities are daily moved by different modes of transport all across the country posing complicated fire rescue problems. If the objective of ensuring safety of life and property in urban and rural areas is to be achieved, then a complete over-hauling of fire service organization is called for. The fire services need to be organized properly with adequate infrastructure and equipment for keeping pace with advancement of technology and economic growth.
ROLE OF FIRE SERVICES IN INDIA:
Role of Fire Service in India broadly is extinguishing fire and protecting life and property in case of fire. Fire Service role has changed dramatically in the last few years. Some changes were influenced by external forces, while the impetus for others was the organization itself. All these changes have increased the risk of the profession. The fire service now responds to hazardous material incidents, advanced emergency medical situations, high angle rescue and confined space rescue incidents, trench and collapse operations, underwater rescue and more. It has been said that "when the experts panic, they call the fire department." In the immediate aftermath of any disaster coordinated search and rescue efforts are critical to saving lives and property. Past experience has shown that in the exigencies of disasters, whether it be a large scale or comparatively smaller ones the armed forces are frequently called upon to assist the civil authorities. However, the mobilization and deployment of armed forces for search and rescue delays response time which is critical for the survival of disaster victims. It is necessary that districts and States should have their own arrangements for carrying out search and rescue operations immediately after a disaster. Enhancement of search and rescue capabilities of the State and districts for quick response will save lives. This can be achieved with the minimum of additional cost by developing the Fire Services as multi hazard response units.
Financial Assistance to the States/UTs for the modernization of Fire Services
CIVIL DEFENCE:
Civil Defence measures are designed to deal with immediate emergency conditions, protect the public and restore vital services and facilities that have been destroyed or damaged by disaster. Historically, The Civil Defence Policy of the Government of India, till the declaration of Emergency in 1962, was confined to making the States and Union Territories conscious of the need of civil protection measures and to ask them to keep ready civil protection paper plans for major cities and towns under the then Emergency Relief Organization (ERO) Scheme. The Chinese aggression in 1962 and the Indo- Pak conflict in 1965 led to a considerable re-thinking about the policy and scope of Civil Defence. The Civil Defence Act, 1968 (Act 27 of 1968) was passed by Parliament in May 1968. The Act extends to the whole of India and provides for among other things measures not amounting to actual combat, for affording protection to any person, property, place or thing in India or any part of the territory thereof against any hostile attack, whether from air, land, sea or other places, or for depriving any such attack of the whole or part of its effects, whether such measures are taken before, during, at or after the time of such attack. It also authorized the raising of Civil Defence Corps and for making Rules and Regulations for Civil Defence.
HOME GUARDS:
Home Guards’ is a voluntary force, first raised in India in December 1946, to assist the police in controlling civil disturbance and communal riots. Subsequently, the concept of the voluntary citizen’s force was adopted by several States. In the wake of Chinese aggression in 1962, the Centre advised the States and Union Territories to merge their existing voluntary organization into one uniform voluntary force known as Home Guards. The role of Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary Force to the Police in maintenance of internal security situations, help the community in any kind of emergency such as an air-raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake, epidemic etc., help in maintenance of essential services, promote communal harmony and assist the administration in protecting weaker sections, participate in socio-economic and welfare activities and perform Civil Defence duties. Home Guards are of two types – rural and urban. In border States, Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Bns. have been raised, which serve as an auxiliary to the Border Security Force. The total strength of Home Guards in the country is 5,73,793 against which the raised strength is 433803. The organization is spread over in all States and Union Territories except in Kerala.
Fifteen Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Battalions have been raised in the border States viz. Punjab (6 Bns.), Rajasthan ( 4 Bns.), Gujarat (2 Bns.) and one each Battalion for Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal to serve as an auxiliary to Border Security Force for preventing infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, guarding of VA/VPs and lines of communication in vulnerable area at the time of external aggression. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the States/Union Territories. They are recruited from amongst all classes of people and walks of life, who give their spare time to the organization for betterment of the community. Amenities and facilities given to Home Guards include free uniform, duty allowances and award for gallantry, distinguished and meritorious services. Members of Home Guards with three years’ service in the organization are trained in policing, in maintenance of law and order, prevention of crime, anti-dacoity measures, border patrolling, prohibition, flood relief, fire-fighting, election duties and social welfare activities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs formulates the policy in respect of role, raising, training, equipping, establishment and other important matters of Home Guards Organization. Expenditure on Home Guards is generally shared between Centre and State Government in the ratio 25% by the Centre and 75% by the State Government for raising, training and equipping on reimbursement basis. For North-Eastern States except Assam, the sharing pattern between the Centre and States in the ratio of 50:50.For the current year 2017-18 out of the budgetary provision of Rs.25.00 crore, Rs. 11.38 crore has been reimbursed to the States.
4.Main Activities or Functions:
5.Grievance & Redressal Mechanism:
The grievances of the public is heard on every Monday(if it is not a holiday) by the Director, Civil Defence, Cuttack, Odisha.
6.Working Hours for both Office & Public:
Normal working hours both for office and public, except Sundays and public holidays is normally from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.
7.Working Hours:
Opening Hours: 10:30 AM
Closing Hours: 5:30 PM
3. Main Activities or Functions:
Home Guards Organisation in the various States/UTs, Policy and Planning for strengthening and reimbursement of Central share of expenditure to State Governments.
4. Grievance & Redressal Mechanism:
The grievance of public is heard on every Monday (if it is not a holiday) by the Director, Civil Defence, Odisha, Cuttack.
5. Working Hours both for Office & Public:
Normal working hours both for office and public, except Sundays and public holidays is normally from 10.00 A.M. to 05.30 P.M.
6. Working Hours:
Opening Hour: 10:30 A.M
Closing Hour: 05:30 P.M.