But don't expect to be rescued. With rescue boats in tatters, firemen may not be able to sail through the floods and save you this monsoon
But don't expect to be rescued. With rescue boats in tatters, firemen may not be able to sail through the floods and save you this monsoonu00a0
This monsoon is going to be anything, but smooth sailing. With the highest tide in a century to hit Mumbai on July 24, another deluge is on the cards. And it may be a deja vu of the 2005 floods, as the Mumbai fire brigade's overused rescue boats may not be able to stay afloat.u00a0u00a0u00a0
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Not only are the boats in tatters, the already short-staffed firemen are overworked and their swimming skills are nothing to boast of, according to a source in the BMC. An internal meeting last Friday (May 29) at the BMC headquarters between the fire brigade and BMC officials highlighted all these problems and more. It's clear that if there is a repeat of 26/7, Mumbai is not in safe hands, said the source.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
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In a document outlining the issues that were to be discussed in the meeting (a copy of which is with MiD DAY), it is mentioned that the rescue boats have leakage problems and the fire force does not have the requisite life jackets.
Damaged boats
With monsoons around the corner, the poor condition of the rescue boats is a matter of grave concern.u00a0u00a0u00a0
"The motor boats have been extensively used in the Bihar floods in August 2008 and are worn out. Most of them have leakages and were temporarily repaired, but there is no guarantee that they will survive torrential rains," said a top fire department official.
According to him, the fire brigade was to buy six more boats this monsoon. "Of the 11 boats we use at present, five belong to the state," he said.
Though reluctant to go on record, BMC officials agreed that the purchase of the new boats was put on hold. "New boats have not been bought and a few of the boats are in a bad condition, but things are being looked into," added a senior BMC official from the disaster management team.
However, both the chief fire officer P Karguppikar and additional municipal commissioner Kishore Gajbhiye, in-charge of the fire department, dismissed the allegations. "The boats are well maintained and we are prepared for any disaster this monsoon," they said.
Karguppikar added, "We have adequate staff. Though many were recruited recently, they will be trained in rescue operations eventually."u00a0
Short staffed
Reports say that the Mumbai Fire Brigade has a shortage of
81 staff members
42 assistant station officers
2 station officers
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Status of the boats
Kurla: 2 (only one working)
BKC: 2
Bandra: 2
Marol: 2 (only one working)
Borivli: 2
Byculla: 1 (not working)
Kandivli: 1
Sr Thackeray rescued by boatu00a0u00a0
When the Mithi river burst its banks and brought most parts of the city under water on July 26, 2005, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had to be rescued in a boat and taken to nephew Raj Thackeray's house, in Dadar, after his bungalow Matoshree in Bandra (east) was flooded.
5.01 metres
The height of the tide that will hit Mumbai's coast on July 24 at 2.23 pm, which is the highest in the last100 years
Rs 2 lakh
Money spent on each boat by the Mumbai fire brigade after 26/7
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