Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Anu Garg, chaired a high level review meeting focused on the state Fire and Emergency Services, Home Guards, and Civil Defence at the Lokseva Bhavan.
Shrimati Garg urged the state fire fighters, now officially designated as Firefighters or Agnijoddhas, to take proactive measures to reduce drowning deaths across the state.
ACS Home, Industry and I&PR Shri Hemant Sharma, Special Secretary Home Shri Radha Kishan Sharma and IGP Dr. Umashankar Dash were present.
Director General of Fire Services, Dr. Sudhanshu Sarangi, presented the department’s recent achievements and strategic roadmap. He highlighted that the Odisha Fire Service operates as a first responder for various emergencies including fires, road and rail accidents, building collapses, and drowning incidents.
On average, the department handles over 200 emergency calls daily. In the year 2025, the service responded to 20,991 fire related calls, successfully saving property worth approximately 598 crore rupees and rescuing hundreds of individuals along with over 16,000 animals.
To modernize fire protection and emergency response, several significant initiatives have been implemented:
A 24 hour State Command Center has been established at Baramunda, Bhubaneswar, to ensure rapid monitoring and coordination during emergencies.
The Fire Service Portal 2.0 is now operational, streamlining the issuance of fire safety licenses and making departmental activities more transparent and accessible.
Fire safety audits, third party inspections, and auto renewal systems have been introduced to improve the ease of doing business while maintaining safety standards.
A dedicated training center for water rescue and underwater search operations was inaugurated at Ramchandi near Konark in December 2025.
A K-9 dog squad consisting of 10 trained dogs has been deployed across various cities to assist in search and rescue operations.
The department has transitioned to gender neutral terminology by renaming the Fireman rank to Firefighter. Dr. Sarangi also noted that women will soon be recruited into the fire services. Furthermore, 911 new firefighters have recently been appointed, and steps are being taken to fill all remaining vacancies.
To enhance specialized skills, personnel are receiving expert training in niche areas such as scuba diving, first aid, forest fire management, and incident command. The department has also introduced advanced Incident Command Vehicles and battery operated climbing systems for high rise building rescues.
Community outreach remains a priority through the Saturday Visit to Fire Station initiative, which invites students, NCC cadets, and local leaders to learn about fire safety and emergency protocols.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that protecting lives and property from accidents is a core component of quality governance and expressed confidence in the Agnijoddhas to meet these challenges.