Cuttack: In order to tackle the current flood situation of the State, 44 Odisha Fire Service Response Teams have been deployed in the coastal Districts as well as affected Districts towards rescue and rehabilitation of marooned persons as well as animals. In addition to above all Fire Stations in concerned districts are also being utilised as independent teams equipped with ASKA lights, pumps, boats, OBM, power saw and combitools etc..
Santosh Kumar Upadhyay, DGP Odisha Fire Service reviewed the deployment of Fire Service Teams in various parts of the State through the Video Conferencing on 16 August.
Soumya Mishra, ADG, Fire Service, D K Swain, Chief Fire Officer I/C and concerned Fire Officers, Deputy Fire Officers and Asst. Fire Officers from the fields.
DGP Fire Service appreciated the courageous act of Fire Service personnel in rescue of 4 passengers of a private car who had been swept away by flood water near Ghantikhala under Cuttack District, in the mid night of 15 August.
All concerned 4 Fireman were declared to be awarded with DG Disc for their courageous act displayed in the above rescue work in the mid night. Fire Service Teams are actively engaged in road clearance in various parts of the State (due to uprooting of trees).
Fire Service Teams also rescued one Deer near Nrushinghanath and 11 cattle from various flooded areas. Fire Service Teams have already rescued 667 persons till 16th August, 2022 morning.
Damapada Fire Service Team under Cuttack District has rescued around 400 persons from the marooned area of Kainmundi village near Banki of Cuttack District.
All Officers of Odisha Fire Service have been advised to liaise with respective District Collectors, BDOs and Tahasildars for effective coordination in order to undertake the rescue work in time. Various senior officers have been given responsibility of affected Districts.
Control Room has been opened at CFO Office, Cuttack to coordinate with field units.
Back in Bhubaneswar, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Ramesh Chandra Majhi is coordinating the entire operations.
Mr.Majhi, Chief of Odisha Fire And Disaster Response Academy (OFDRA) has dispatched four additional Fire Service Teams from OFDRA to Puri and Nayagarh, said sources.