Mumbai Fire Brigade plans to cut response time, gets customised bikes to reach narrow lanes of the city

Newly acquired bikes by Mumbai fire brigade. Pic/Gabriel Zuzarte

The Mumbai Fire Brigade recently acquired 12 hi-end customised bikes to cut short the response time even during peak hours of traffic. The bikes, especially designed to conduct firefighting operations, are assembled with almost all the equipment needed to control or douse a fire, including jet spray, siren and walkie-talkie and fog light.

Speaking to mid-day, Hemant Parab, chief fire officer, says, "Our goal is to cut short the response time. We will be including a total of 24 bikes in the Mumbai Fire Brigade. As of now we have got 12 bikes loaded with almost all the equipment used in a fire fighting operation and by the end of this month 12 more bikes will be included."

He adds, "Reaching the narrow lanes of the city is easier with the bikes, especially during peak hours. Surely these bikes can be really helpful in cutting short the response time by several minutes once we get a call since the earlier we reach the spot, the quicker we can control the fire."

The bikes have been designed by Gabriel Zuzarte, founder of Road Rage Custom Builds based in Vasai in collaboration with For Your Rescue Pvt Ltd in Kolkata. Zuzarte, told mid-day, "The bikes are very well built for road stability. It has all the necessary machinery."

According to Gabriel, the specifications of the bikes, which are a modified version of Royal Enfield Electra 350cc, include:

• Two stainless steel water tanks with a capacity of 35 liters approximately
• 2 horsepower high-pressure motor which has been imported from Italy
• 20 Meters hose reel pipe with a two-way jet spray
• Fire Extinguisher.
• A revolving light that has around 20 different motions (Light Changing) and a fog lamp.
• Two Tone Sirens with a public address system and a walkie talkie holder.
• Front aerodynamic windshield.
• High tension front crash guard.