Joseph Pinto | NT
MAPUSA
The Goa Fire Service department is grappling with problems to retrieve bodies from river/lakes as many times people get washed away by strong currents and drown. Many incidents have been reported from the beach belt which draws attention to the lack of professional divers with the fire service team.
There are 3 fire service departments in Mapusa, Pilerne and Pernem. Unfortunately the fire departments have not taken cognizance of hiring any professional divers.
The need of the hour is to have divers especially in rescue missions where fire tenders are called by public to rescue victims.
A few days ago the fire station personnel were put in an awkward position in Canca where a drowning case was reported at D’Mello waddo near Shankar temple. A 45-year-old man Deepak Gawas drowned in a pond and the fire station was informed. When the fire tender arrived the fire personnel did not venture into the pond to fish out the body but used hooks to remove the body. After the public objected to this move, locals jumped into the pond and retrieved the body.
A source from the Mapusa fire department said that the fire service did not have professional divers and there is only a state disaster response team stationed in Margao, Ponda and Panaji. When the incident took place at Mapusa the team was called from Panaji but unfortunately due to traffic jam the disaster response team arrived late.
The assistant divisional officer Ajit Kamat said that the department has trained some fire tender personnel in flood rescue, collapse of building but at present the department does not have trained professional divers. Kamat said that during an emergency the state disaster response force from Panaji is called to help in the rescue mission.
The fire station in charge at Mapusa Bosco Ferrao said that the fire tender personnel are doing a good job in Mapusa. He said that there are atleast six to seven calls per day on various incidents.
Ferrao said that the fire personnel are given training in swimming but they need more practice. He said that the incident which was reported from Mapusa a few days ago, the state disaster response team from Panaji was called to assist the fire personnel but due to traffic congestion on the bridge the team arrived late.