Tamil Nadu
Fire and Rescue Service
About Us
The motto of the Department is
“We Serve to Save”
To achieve this motto, it is always our endeavour to go promptly
to the spot of fire or other accidents, and strive to save life and
property.
To endeavour to prevent fire accidents by spreading fire-safety
awareness.
To rescue people affected by floods, earthquake or other natural
calamities.
To provide standby fire-safety arrangements at large gatherings and
important public and private functions by charging a nominal amount
for the service rendered. The rates of charging can be seen in the
section Hiring Charges.
To provide Ambulance-service for rushing the sick and the injured to
hospital. Services specially requisitioned for this purpose are
given at a nominal charge for the service rendered. The rates of
charging can be seen in the section Hiring Charges.
To educate and train people in fire prevention and fire-fighting in
order to reduce risk by fire.
To promote voluntarism in fire-prevention and fire-fighting by
promoting the growth of the Safety Volunteers Organisation. Through
this voluntarism, to make our Safety from Home Movement successful.
To strive for attainment of the highest peaks of professional
excellence and, for this purpose, build up a climate conducive to
exchange of experiences and discussions within the Department.
“Our aim is to make Tamil Nadu Fire and
rescue Services the best in the world”
Duties & Functions
The Fire and Rescue Services Directorate plays a very vital role in
the area of fire fighting and fire prevention. Properties worth
crores of rupees are saved each year from the ravages of fire and
scores of people have been rescued from fires. Apart from fire
fighting, this department also undertakes rescue activities and has
saved hundreds of people, marooned in floods, and caught in the
debris of fallen buildings, road and rail accidents and other
natural and man-made disasters.
Besides fire fighting and rescue operations, the Fire Service has
statutory, regulatory and advisory functions also. Advisory
functions relate to educating society on fire protection measures
and helping to implement them. The statutory function is that of
inspecting various premises to ensure that they conform to
regulations in various Acts and Rules for fire safety.
Fire Prevention is an elementary function of Fire Service
Department. In order to intensify fire prevention work, Fire
Prevention Wings have been formed in 12 places in the state of Tamil
Nadu. These Wings undertake propagation of fire prevention methods
to the rural and urban population and address specified target
groups so that risks by fire are minimized.
In order to prevent and deal with fire accidents in inaccessible
slums in Chennai City, outposts are opened in such slums. These
outposts are provided with high capacity Synthetic tanks to hold
enough water and portable fire pumps with hoses and wireless sets
and they are manned round the clock.
Ambulance services are available in 75 Fire and Rescue Services
Stations and 1 at State Training Centre for training purpose. The
sick and injured are swiftly removed to hospitals for immediate
medical aid at reasonable hire charges. The poor are transported
free of charge. The hire charges are collected with reference to the
distance covered by the Ambulances.
Fire Service vehicles are utilized for bandobust and standby
arrangements during festivals and large gatherings.
Major Functions - Statutory And Non
Statutory
The Fire and Rescue Services Department in Tamil Nadu is a Service
Department whose functions are varied and substantial. Besides the
SERVICE function, it has STATUTORY, REGULATORY AND ADVISORY
functions also.
On the Service side, the prime concern of the Department is to save
lives and property from the danger, damage and destruction caused by
fire. Besides fire fighting and helping to prevent fires, the other
service functions of the department include offering emergency
relief and rescue measures to victims not only of fire, but also of
all types of natural and other calamities and mishaps such as
floods, cyclones, landslides, building collapses, explosive
accidents, railway accidents, major disasters, etc. Further, it
assists the Police Department during elections, riots, fairs and
festivals, in providing VIP bandobust and also assists the Public
Health Department in times of epidemics. The ambulance services
available with the Department are used to transport the sick and
injured to hospitals for medical aid and treatment.
The Department also provides advice on fire protection measures for
high-rise buildings, factories, places of public resort and fairs
and festivals.
The Department also has a statutory role in inspection of various
buildings as provided for under the Fire Service Act and Rules.
Inspection Services
The Tamil Nadu Fire Service undertakes inspection of Buildings, both
Government and Private to check-up the fire fighting arrangements
and to suggest fire fighting measures and fire safety. It also
undertakes inspection of Cinema Halls in the State and heads a
committee of officials drawn from several departments for this
purpose.
For assistance in this regard please contact:
Director of Fire and Rescue Services,
12, Rukmani Lakshmipathy Road,
Egmore, Chennai -600 008
Phone : 28554156 Fax : 28550931
Organizational Setup
One Director (Head of the Department - at Chennai)
One Joint Director, (Training and Rescue) at State
Training Centre, Tambaram, Chennai
Five Deputy Directors (at Chennai, Vellore, Thiruchirapalli,
Coimbatore and Madurai)
Thirty Divisional Officers (at all District Headquarters) and One
Divisional Officer at State Training Centre, Tambaram, Chennai
Staff Strength | Fire Station List | Recuriment Details
Traning Facilities
A fully modern Training centre is situated near Tambaram in Chennai,
which is on par with the National Fire Service College at Nagpur.
Built at a cost of over Rs.4.00 Crores.
The training centre has all the latest training facilities including
dormitories, mess etc. It can train about 100 persons at a time.
Training is being imparted to the personnel of this Department as
well as Fire Service personnel from other States and to persons in
Public Sector Undertakings. Training programme will also be held for
training members of the general public.
To avail the services of this facility, please get in touch with
Director (Course),
State Training Centre,
Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services,
No. 100, G.S. T. Road, (Near Sanatorium),
Tambaram, Chennai-47
Phone : 044 - 22418025
Communication Wing
The Fire Tenders of the Department are fitted with VHF sets so as to
be in touch with the Control Room and reach the scene of fire
quickly. All the District Head Quarters are linked to the State Head
Quarters by HF sets. WalkieTalkie sets are also available. There is
a separate Communication Wing headed by an Assistant Divisional Fire
Officer to take care of the communication requirement.
Staff Welfare
The Government is committed to the welfare of its personnel. There
is a fund called the Tamil Nadu Fire Service Benevolent Fund from
which money is given to the persons needing them. Family Benefit
Scheme and Group Insurance Scheme is also available to those who
sustain injuries during fire fighting and other operations. A sum of
Rs.1,00,000 is given to those who die in action and employment is
also given to the members of the family on compassionate grounds if
an employee happens to die in harness. Food articles are given at
subsidised rates to the members of the force.
Awards
In recognition to the services rendered by the Fire Service
Personnel, following awards are given every year :
State Awards:
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Fire Service Medal ( Anna Medal).
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Fire Service Medal ( Pongal Medal).
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Fire Service Medal for Excellence.
Government of India Awards:
Fire Service Medal for Meritorious / Distinguished Service on the
occasion of the Independence Day.
Fire Service Medal For Gallantry.
Fire Service Medal for Meritorious Service / Distinguished Service
on the occasion of Republic Day.
Fire Service Day (14th April)
In memory of the 66 firemen who laid down their lives, 14th of April
each year is celebrated, all over the country as Fire Service Day. A
commemoration parade is held in which the names of all firemen who
laid down their lives in the cause of duty is read out and wreaths
are laid at the memorial column.
There was a terrible explosion on 14th April 1944 at Mumbai in a
ship called "SS Port Stikins" which was berthed at No.1 Victoria
Dock.. The ship was stocked with a huge cargo of explosives. There
was nearly 1200 tons of explosives, cotton bales and oil drums. The
destruction caused by the explosion was massive. Prince's Dock and
Victoria Dock which are two of the three principal docks were fully
ablaze with drifting ships. The approach channels to the docks were
obstructed with many things. Besides the docks several buildings on
the shore were completely shattered. There was wide spread
devastation to the roads and rail network. Fire were continuously
raging caused by incendiary materials flying off from the burning
ship. There was a huge loss of life and property. In all 231
personnel belonging to the various departments including 66
belonging to the Bombay Fire Brigade, were either killed or missing.
476 personnel are reported to have been injured.
The explosion was so massive that a ship berthed in an adjacent
dock, 400 feet long and weighing 4000 tons was lifted clear to a
height of 50 feet and dropped on land. All the buildings in the Port
Trust were on fire. An area of about 100 acres was completely burnt.
Bulk grain stores continued to burn and smoulder for four months.
There was so much debris that it took three months to clear the
same.
The authorities decided to prevent further damage to Mumbai City by
creating a 'Fire Lane' by dynamiting through the centre of the city.
Though the portion on one side of the fire land was completely
destroyed, the other portion remained in tact. Even though the fire
burned for weeks it did not cross the ' Fire Lane". Thus Mumbai was
saved.
Equipments
The Department has a good collection of Modern equipments to deal
with emergencies.
The Vehicle fleet consists of:
Water Tenders
....................................................
326
Ambulances....................................................
80
Small Foam Tenders
.................................................
13
Emergency Rescue Tenders..........................................
5
Hydraulic Platform (Simon Snorkel of England)..........................
1
Turn Table Ladder (Izuzu Morita from Japan)..........................
1
Hydraulic Platform-cum-Turn Table Ladder 37 metre and 42 metre of
Bronto Skylift from Finland
.................................................
2
Hose-Laying Tender
.................................................
1
Water Lorries
.................................................
51
Wrecker
..............................................
1
Mobile Repair Vans
.................................................
2
High Range Portable pumps
.................................................
228
Floto Pumps
.................................................
93
Bus, Motorcycles, Car and Jeep fitted with Wireless sets.
..................
60
The Department also is in possession of Modern gadgets like Water
Sprinklers, lifting bags, Smoke Exhausters, Poisonous gas Detectors,
Generators, Breathing Apparatus sets with air compressors and other
Combi-tools of aid in rescue operations, besides
Mechanised Fibre Boats
.................................................
3
Helmet Type Thermal Imaging Camera
............................. 1
Hand-Held Thermal Imaging Camera..................................
2
Life Detectors
.................................................
2
Multi-Gas Monitors
.................................................
2
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