Mumbai’s fire engines to be monitored in real time using GPS from next year
The aim: Better response time during emergencies, officials said
Real-time coordination between firemen and the control room in Byculla through Global Positioning System (GPS) will be implemented by September 2017 in the city.
The aim: Better response time during emergencies, officials said. Currently, the fire brigade completely relies on telephone calls made by firemen on the spot.
After the Kalbadevi tragedy in 2015, where four senior fire officials lost their lives, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is keen on a complete overhaul of the brigade.
A senior fire official said, “The system will enable live-tracking of the vehicles for the control room. We will get a virtual eye to see what is happening on the ground. The control room can suggest alternate routes and assess the speed of the vehicles.”
The control room is responsible for enabling manpower, machinery and keeping a constant check on-ground after receiving a disaster call.
Officials have confirmed the city’s brigade lags in its response time during emergencies. While the international norms stand at a maximum of four minutes, in Mumbai, the time taken to reach the destination is twice the norm (8 to 10 minutes) for the island city and four times for the suburbs (15 to 18 minutes).
The project is part of the Rs60-crore Integrated Command and Control System, recently approved by the BMC’s standing committee. The web-based software will enable computer-aided dispatch, multiple-stakeholder alert, GIS-mapping and video imaging.
Box:
Vehicles with the fire brigade
56 fire engines
3 breathing apparatus vans
11 water tankers
7 rescue vans