National Fire Service Week/Day

The National Fire Service Week/Day observance takes place every year on 14th to 20th April throughout India.

In honor of the brave firefighters, there is observance on April 14 as Martyr’s Day. In remembrance of the martyrs, there is a silence of two minutes.

National Fire Service Week/day theme for 2024.

“Ensure Fire safety, Contribute towards Nation Building”

“अग्नि सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित करें, राष्ट्र निर्माण में योगदान दें”

Theme for National Fire Service Week/Day till 2024:

Year	Theme
2024	“Ensure Fire safety, Contribute towards Nation Building”
2023	“Awareness in Fire Safety for Growth of National Infrastructure (AGNI)”
2022	“Learn Fire Safety, Increase Productivity”
2021	“Maintenance of Fire Safety Equipment is key to Mitigate Fire Hazards”
2020	“Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!”
2019	“Fire prevention is better than fire fighting”
2018	“Fire loss is National loss – Lets adopt fire safety measures”.
2017	“Fireman – Your partner for saving life and property”
2016	“Prevent fire accident – Promote nations development”
2015	“Adopt safe housekeeping practice and approved electrical appliances”
2014	“Fire prevention is the best insurance”
2013	“Fire is fire.. Friend or Foe we decide”
2012	“Smoke management save lives”
2011	“Lets work together for fire safe India”
1949	“Flameproof Your Future!”

History of National Fire Service Week/Day

The Bombay Explosion or Bombay Docks Explosion occurred on 14 April 1944, in the Victoria Dock of Bombay now Mumbai when the tanker SS Stronghold Stikine conveying a blended freight of cotton bundles, gold and ammo including around 1,400 tons of explosives, burst into flames and obliterated in two goliath impacts, dissipating flotsam and jetsam, sinking encompassing boats and burning down the area killing around 800 individuals.

The 7,142 gross register ton freighter known as the SS Fort Stikine built in 1942 in Prince Rubert, British Columbia, as part of a lend-lease agreement. It named after Fort Stikine, a former Hudson’s Bay Company outpost in what is now Wrangell, Alaska.

She left Birkenhead on February 24 and traveled through Gibraltar, Port Said, and Karachi before reaching Bombay on April 12. Her cargo included 1,395 tons of explosives, 238 tons of sensitive “A” explosives, torpedoes, mines, shells, munitions, Super Marine Spitfire fighter aircraft, raw cotton bales, oil barrels, timber, scrap iron, and approximately £890,000 worth of gold bullion in 31 crates. At Karachi, the 87,000 cotton bales and lubricating oil were loaded, and the ship’s captain, Alexander James Naismith, voiced his disapproval of the “mixture” of cargo. Because it was illegal at the time to transport cotton by rail from Punjab and Sindh to Bombay, merchants were forced to transport cotton by sea route.

The cargo was also described as “just about everything that will either burn or blow up,” according to Naismith, who perished in the explosion. On April 14, the vessel had been berthed for 48 hours and was still waiting to unload when it suddenly exploded.

After three days of fighting the fire, 8,000 men worked for seven months to get the docks back in operation and remove approximately 500,000 tons of debris. The official death toll was 740, with approximately 1,800 injured, including 476 military personnel; The unofficial count is much higher. The slum dwellers were mostly unregistered. Altogether, 27 different vessels were sunk or harmed in both Victoria dock and the adjoining ruler’s dock

The investigation into the blast recognized the cotton bunches as presumably being the seat of the fire. It pointed out several errors: putting away the cotton beneath the weapons, not showing the warning expected to demonstrate a perilous freight ready, deferring emptying the explosives, not utilizing steam injectors to contain the discharge and a postpone in cautioning the neighborhood shoot detachment.

Many families were left with nothing but their clothes after everything they owned vanished.

Thousands became homeless. About 6,000 businesses affected, and 50,000 people lost their jobs. Citizens who filed claims for property loss or damage received financial compensation after the government accepted full responsibility for the disaster. Many intact gold bars discovered over the course of time during regular dredging operations that carried out to maintain the depth of the docking bays. Some of these bars discovered as late as February 2011, and they have since returned to the British government. In October 2011, a live shell weighing 45 kilograms and 99 pounds also discovered. A memorial erected in honor of the numerous firefighters who perished at the headquarters of the Mumbai Fire Brigade in Byculla. India observes National Fire Safety Week from April 14 to April 21 in honor of the 66 firefighters who perished in this explosion.

Significance of National Fire Service Week/Day:

Every year, Directorate General Fire Services and Civil Defense distributes the subject for arranging different fire security programs during recognition of Fire Administrations Week from fourteenth to twentieth April to instruct the overall population about the need to limit misfortunes from flames. In order to ensure that the advertising campaign has the greatest impact on the general public, the DGFS also urged businesses, the city fire department, and a variety of advertising mediums to improve the fire safety program.

In addition, DGFS provides electronic mass printing and awareness materials to educate the community about fire safety.

The fire safety education program might consist of

1. Demonstration of fire prevention and protection training.
2. Contest for essays, slogans, and posters.
3. Dissemination of fire badges.
4. Utilization of the media and Internet.
5. Fire Service Observance.
6. Fire safety inspections.
7. Education-based fire evacuation drill and mass awareness program.
8. Fire simulations in the workplace.
9. Hose, hydrant, and rescue drills for firefighters and workers. etc.

The National Fire Service Week/Day Campaign’s Goals:

• Instill fire safety awareness throughout all human endeavors.
• Concentrate on workplace fire prevention.
• Verify all fire protection equipment for use.
• Give employees the ability to effectively control fire.

Activities or Ideas for National Fire Service Week/Day observance:

Throughout the entire week of the campaign, various activities and observations are available to the public in accordance with safety guidelines. On this day, various activities may include the following:

• A message from the CEO to all employees about fire safety.
• Evaluating the safety of the operational and maintenance procedures.
• Operational examination of the apparatus for fire protection.
• Particular emphasis on materials’ orderly storage.
• Distributing local-language instruction cards on specific fire safety measures and dangers.
• Inspection by employees working in small groups to find fire hazards in various departments.
• Housekeeping competitions, fire safety tips, and slogans about fire safety are all included.
• Demonstrations of rescue and firefighting techniques.
• Various Training programs on Fire And Safety.
• Competitions and fire drills for members of the fire crew.
• Screening films about fire safety during breaks.
• Arranging for a local Fire Brigade Officer to visit the plant to learn about its operations.
• Experts in the field give guest lectures on fire safety.
• Placing posters and banners about fire safety in strategic plant locations.
• Training for security personnel in fire fighting and first aid.

Common causes of industrial fires include:

• Leaking or spreading combustible or flammable materials.
• Electrical overloading and short-circuiting.
• Overheating of uncovered surfaces/Radiator/Electrical Lights/Heaters.
• Hot Work, including welding, cutting, and soldering.
• Disappointment of Apparatus and different Supplies.
• Chemical or Runway Interaction.
• Smoking in Prohibition areas.
• Spark/Frictional Heat.
• Spontaneous combustion, dust explosion, and other phenomena
• Combustion and sparks due to static electricity.
• Live, naked wires.
• Molten Materials.
• Etc.

Basic measures for Fire prevention:

• Ensure high standards for housekeeping.
• Cover trash cans tightly and empty them frequently.
• Separate flammable and combustible materials from the ignition source.
• Clean up any oil or gas leaks and flammable material spills as soon as possible.
• In locations where flammable materials are present, strictly adhere to the WORK PERMIT SYSTEM for welding, cutting, and other hot works.
• Separately store materials that don’t mix.
• Use flame-resistant electrical equipment, prohibit smoking, and ensure adequate ventilation wherever there is use and storage of flammable materials.
• Keep electrical panels and fuses clean and closed.
• Avoid connections with multiple sockets.
• A qualified individual should carry out all electrical repairs.
• Avoid using electrical cords with damage and don’t use temporary connections.
• To avoid the production of heat, lubricate, maintain, and align all machines and equipment.

Precautions before, during, and after the Accidents at Work:

• Be calm and swift in your evacuation through the designated escape route, not in a panic.
• During the evacuation, keep a wet handkerchief, cloth, or sari on your face.
• Close all doors and windows tightly and keep the sick, elderly, weak, handicapped, and other individuals who are unable to evacuate inside the house.
• Drink only from a bottle and avoid eating or drinking food or water that has exposure to the elements.
• After reaching a safe location or shelter, don new clothes and wash your hands properly.
• Dial the Emergency Fire Toll Free Number from a safe location to notify Fire & Emergency Services.
• Listen to the plant’s or factory’s PA (Public Address) system.
• Inform a government official of the correct information.
• Don’t believe the rumors and don’t spread them.

General Recommendations for Normal Time:

• In the designated Hazardous Area, you should not smoke, light a fire, or spark.
• Make community aware that lives near the industrial units of this, and they should be more aware of the risks of industrial units.
• Keep the numbers of the closest fire station on hand in case of an emergency.
• If at all possible, don’t live near places that make or process hazardous chemicals.
• Take part in all the limit building programs coordinated by the Local group of fire-fighters and different Associations.
• Participate in the community’s preparation of a Disaster Management Plan and locate a secure shelter and easy access routes.
• In the event of an emergency, there must be an adequate supply of personal protective equipment.
• Set up a first aid pack of things and fundamentals in the business, including medications, archives and resources and so on.