07 July,2026 08:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika Gondhalekar
Calls are received and verified at the Mumbai Fire Brigade’s control room in Byculla East on Monday. PICS/SAMEER SAYYED ABEDI
The ringing of phones at Mumbai Fire Brigade's control room in Byculla East was almost constant on Monday, with those on the other end of the lines frantically informing operators about trees collapsing on or near their homes. Within seconds, trained operators began verifying locations, assessing the nature of the emergencies and alerting the nearest fire stations. Even as the callers were still on the line, rescue vans and personnel were being mobilised.
This seamless coordination is what enables Mumbai's first responders to tackle hundreds of emergencies these days, ensuring that the city never comes to a standstill. mid-day spent the day with the fire department, which has been working round the clock to ensure no mishap disrupts the functioning of the city.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer SD Sawant said, "While dramatic rescue operations often make headlines, the backbone of every sucessful response lies inside the control room, where every call is scrutinised and every decision made in seconds can determine the outcome of an emergency."
>> The receiving team answers your call, takes details of the incident and location, and passes the call to the verification team
>> The verification team confirms if the incident has actually happened and if the caller is present at the location. The team asks for details, such as if any human is trapped, to confirm the veracity of the call. Once verified, they pass the information to the dispatch team
>> Based on the information, the dispatch team alerts the nearest fire station and deploys personnel for the rescue operation
Deputy Chief Fire Officer SD Sawant (right) issues directions
What has changed from last year?
The monsoon is worse than any seen in the past decade. It's windy, and it feels as if nature is letting out its frustration. We have never seen so many tree collapses. Rampant concreting has led to a rise in heat levels, putting pressure on trees. This added with water not seeping in the ground due to concrete has weakened the roots of huge old trees. The gusty winds of over 60-65 kmph are making things worse.
How do you prioritise situations amid hundreds of daily calls?
The fire department has a fixed line of action. Our three priorities are...
1) When human life is endangered
2) If a road has been blocked due to a calamity
3) If a house is damaged. Any situation which does not involve any of these is attended to after the priority situations
What are the main challenges faced by the Mumbai Fire Brigade?
The biggest challenge is the fact that we are called when any disaster happens. Since we are the local-level first responders, everyone calls only us. Now, due to increased incidents and a lack of adequate manpower, we are overburdened. Today, daily, we have at least 150 calls. Our total staff strength is around 3000. Of these, 800-900 firefighters are working at any given moment in the city. Considering the intensity of the current situation and number of incidents, it would have been a great help if the disaster management department was not confined to not only communication and coordination, and if it also had a trained team of first responders. Increasing the scope of the State Disaster Response Fund is also necessary so that each call can be answered with the same promptness.
