The 500-odd firemen in Ernakulam are on their toes since the COVID-19 turned pandemic. They are busy disinfecting the public places to check the spread of Coronavirus in the district. Various local bodies are seeking their help to sanitise the sensitive areas under their jurisdiction.
“Maradu municipality authorities had approached us to carry out decontamination work of the public spots under the civic body. We have been receiving many such calls from various places. However, our main focus is disinfecting public places to ensure hygiene and cleanliness,” said G.S. Gogy, District Fire Officer.
The 536 firemen under 18 fire stations in Ernakulam are engaged in the cleaning work. “We sprayed disinfectant liquid at the District Jail in Kakkanad, railway stations, KSRTC bus stations, and hospitals as part of the initiative. Special attention has been given to public places like hospitals,” he said.
The firemen sprayed disinfectants at high pressure using hoses attached to the fire tender vehicles. The main objective was to disinfect visibly dirty surfaces in the public places selected for the cleaning up work. The firemen took adequate care to protect themselves by wearing masks and other protective gear. The department had procured disinfectants as part of the preparations to meet any emergency situation.
Care was taken to wipe their hands using sanitisers after the operation. Firemen involved in the process said that they had disposable gloves and surgical masks as a precautionary health measure while participating in the cleaning up process. “We are following the guidelines issued by the government for protecting oneself in such a health scenario,” they said.
The pandemic situation has forced the district fire wing to cancel the leave and leave requests of its personnel. All the firemen have been asked to be on duty, considering the gravity of the situation. The movement of the firemen, especially those who are staying in other districts, was found risky and hence they were asked to stay safe at the stations. The authorities had taken steps to provide the essential items to the firemen at the 18 stations in the district.
