CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government has issued orders permitting the Directorate of Fire and Rescue Services to enlist volunteers from the public who can assist the personnel in fire safety, prevention and creation of awareness.

The objective of "Safety Volunteers Organisation" is to involve the public, which it pointed out, is vital to the successful functioning of a system.

As per the government's decision, Station Officers of the areas concerned can obtain details of members of the public who wish to register themselves as "Safety Volunteers". The Divisional Officers (DOs) concerned will register their names after satisfying themselves with the particulars furnished, said Director of Fire and Rescue Services Bhola Nath.

The DOs will issue identity cards and armbands to volunteers who render continuous service for six months after satisfying themselves that the members would not tarnish the department's image. Membership can be denied without prior notice if the DOs are convinced that the continuation of a volunteer is not in public interest. In such a case, the volunteer should surrender his or her identity card and the armband immediately.

Safety volunteers should stitch dark blue uniforms at their own cost with "Safety Volunteer" and his or her name embroidered on the shirt. There will be a "Safety Leader" in dark blue uniform, who will be given an identity card and an armband.

The government has made it clear that the volunteers are not government servants and will not be entitled to any benefit applicable to government employees while dying in harness and other legitimate compensation. The volunteers' services can be utilised for cordoning off and evacuating people during major fires or rescuing people. They can coordinate with ambulance services and hospitals. Besides these, they can spread awareness on fire prevention and safety.

The idea of enrolling volunteers formally was mooted after it was noticed that members of the public came forward voluntarily to render assistance in times of emergency.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail