Bhubaneswar: In a major push to bolster urban fire safety, Odisha will conduct a comprehensive statewide fire safety mock drill on Saturday (March 28).
Director General of Fire Services Sudhansu Sarangi announced the exercise during a high-level virtual sensitisation workshop organised by the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department on Monday.
Addressing officials from various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Sarangi urged all municipal corporations, municipalities, and other local bodies to extend full cooperation for the smooth conduct of the drill. He emphasised the need for seamless coordination to test and improve emergency response capabilities in real-world scenarios.
Additional Chief Secretary of H&UD Usha Padhee also attended the workshop, titled “Strengthening Fire Safety Preparedness in Urban Odisha”. It focused on streamlining emergency response protocols, enhancing technical preparedness, and integrating fire safety measures into routine urban governance. Participants discussed preventive strategies, modern firefighting techniques, safety audits, and public awareness drives that ULBs should undertake.
Sarangi delivered a detailed technical briefing, highlighting key preventive measures and the importance of rapid response systems. The ULBs were directed to conduct regular safety audits and awareness programmes to minimise fire risks in densely populated urban areas. Besides, the use of helpline number 112 will be popularised and posters affixed at vulnerable localities to enable swift information in case of emergencies.
Notably, Bhubaneswar has seen a series of fire incidents in recent months, particularly involving market complexes and storage areas with highly combustible materials. Though casualties were reported in these blazes, they caused significant property damage and raised concerns about fire safety in crowded commercial spaces.
