Hyderabad: National Fire Service Day is observed in India as a way to honour the courageous firefighters, who put their lives in danger to keep others safe. Fire departments, enterprises, institutes, government buildings, airports, dockyards, and other establishments honour the 71 firefighters who lost their lives in the 1944 Bombay Port fire on April 14.
Martyr's Day is another name for this day, which honours the brave firefighters who lost their lives while performing their duties.
In India, National Fire Service Day is a celebration of the brave firefighters who put their lives in danger to keep others safe. It's a day to honour those who have died in battle and to spread knowledge of fire safety in order to create a safer future.
History of National Fire Services Day:
On April 14, 1971, a significant fire occurred onboard the British cargo 'SS Fort Stikine' on the Victoria dock at Bombay Port during World War II. 71 firefighters sacrificed their lives attempting to save people and property. A million litres of lubricating oil drums, ammunition, detonators, cotton bales, currency notes, gold, and currencies were stored aboard the SS Fort Stikine ship.
On April 12, the ship was parked at the dock without any safety issues. However, on April 14, because 1,400 tonnes of explosives were stored there, the ship caught fire and was damaged. Two enormous explosions destroyed the spacecraft, and the wreckage scattered throughout the surrounding territories. After an explosion and fire, Victoria Dock was completely abolished. There were between 800 and 1,300 fatalities in this disaster. The power of the explosion was enormous. Consequently, some of Bombay's most advanced and commercially viable neighbourhoods were also devastated by the raging fire.
Significance of National Fire Services Day:
Numerous organisations hold training sessions, drills, and rehearsals to evaluate people's readiness to combat fire situations in an effort to stop similar fire explosions in the future and raise awareness among the general public and schoolchildren. In addition, India observes Fire Service Week from April 14 to April 20 in order to raise public awareness of fire safety.
The Fire Service Day is observed in India as a mournful commemoration of historical events that brought attention to the need for coordinated firefighting efforts. These days, it is an essential part of the nation's efforts to increase public awareness of fire safety, help with emergency preparedness, recognize the accomplishments of the fire services, and inspire people to actively participate in making their homes and communities fire-safe.
How to observe Fire Safety Day:
- Encourage education about fire safety
- Participate in Fire Safety Campaigns as a Volunteer
- Encourage firefighters and departments
- Execute Training and Drills in the Fire
- Invest in Innovation and Technology
In India:
- As per the DFS's annual data, there were 689 injuries and 59 recorded deaths in fire incidents in 2023
- According to data from the fire service, there were 722 injuries and 82 fatalities from fire incidents in 2022, a significant increase from the 396 injuries and 56 fatalities from 2021
- 15,610 calls were made to the fire control room overall in 2023. There were 16,518 fire-related calls in 2022 compared to 14,999 in 2021.
