Deepak K Ghosh (centre) with some of his staff membersThe Borivli fire station, which was inaugurated on Oct 5 with much pomp and show by Mahadeo Deole, Mayor of Mumbai, and Ram Naik, union minister for petroleum, is not only short-staffed but also ill-equipped.

The station does not have a water tanker and an ambulance.

"The fire station, which has 32 staff members, is short by six members," claims Deepak K Ghosh, station officer, Borivli fire station. He adds, "We need a driver, a leading fireman and four assistant station officers."

"We need to urgently recruit for these positions," claims Ghosh. He explains that if two of the four drivers or the leading firemen go on leave, then it will be difficult because either there is no driver or a leading fireman in a particular shift.

"Since we are under-staffed I have had to work round-the-clock and handle all the responsibility alone," he adds.

The jurisdiction of this fire station extends from Borivli (East and West) to Dahisar (East and West). It has received a total of five calls since its inauguration.

Earlier, the calls were handled by the Kandivli fire station.

Says Amar Singh Jhadwal, chief fire officer, "There is sufficient staff at the Borivli fire station. It also has an ambulance and a water tanker.

Maybe it was sent out for a while to another station but we have allotted sufficient equipment."

Call 28602847

Know your station officer

Deepak K Ghosh has been working for fire department for the last 11 years. His contribution in the house collapse in Navre Apartments, Sion, a few years ago is well appreciated.

"The seven-storey building had collapsed completely and people were buried under layers of cements slabs," recalls Ghosh. He remembers how he rescued a 40-year-old woman, who was trapped in the building.

"No one dared to rescue her as the structure above the lady was resting on a wooden chair and could fall any time," he adds.

Staff strength

No assistant station officer when there should be four
A total of four leading firemen when there should be five
A total of four drivers when there should be five

pooja@mid-day.com