Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Fire and Emergency Services Department has audited 3,624 commercial, government and private establishments over 24 days as part of the ‘Surakhita Odisha, Viksit Odisha’ campaign to strengthen fire safety compliance and emergency preparedness across the state, officials said on Friday.
Launched on September 15, the campaign focuses on verifying the validity of fire safety certificates and checking the operational condition of fire safety equipment at various establishments.
“Wherever we find invalid fire safety certificates or non-functional equipment, we are issuing compliance notices. The inspection drive is being carried out on a large scale and is progressing well,” Director General of Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Dr Sudhanshu Sarangi, said while briefing the media.
He said the campaign aims to reduce fire-related risks and make Odisha safer by improving compliance with fire safety norms.
“We need the support of the public and all commercial, government and private establishments. By working together, we can reduce fire-related risks and make the state safer,” Sarangi said.
The inspection drive is being conducted under the supervision of Dr Umashankar Dash, Inspector General of Fire and Emergency Services and Home Guards.
Fire officers, along with Chief Fire Officer (SAG) Debendra Kumar Swain of the Fire Prevention Wing and his team, are conducting inspections as part of the campaign, Sarangi said.
He also highlighted the department’s efforts to enhance the professional capabilities of its personnel.
Assistant Fire Officers and senior officers of the department have undergone six months of training at the National Fire Service College in Nagpur, where they gained specialised knowledge and practical experience, he said.
The officers are applying the skills acquired during the training to strengthen fire prevention measures and improve emergency response, Sarangi added.
