AHMEDABAD: In the aftermath of the Rajkot gaming room blaze which claimed 27 lives, the Gujarat government has rolled out stringent fire safety and regulatory measures.However, the latest data presented in the Lok Sabha reveals a severe shortfall in fire services. Gujarat currently has 1,447 fire personnel stationed across 183 fire stations, while the actual need stands at 34,240. This means the state faces a shortage of 32,793 fire professionals. On July 30, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, along with another legislator, posed several inquiries to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In response, the Ministry clarified that the Centre does not centrally track data on fire accidents, the number of fire stations, or fire personnel. Instead, information on fire incidents and related fatalities nationwide since 2014 is compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau, based on reports submitted by states and union territories.As of December 31, 2018, data on the total number of fire stations across the country is available on a state-by-state basis. According to this data, Gujarat is reported to have 183 fire stations. The Home Ministry reported that as of December 31, 2018, Gujarat had 1,447 fire services personnel. This figure falls significantly short of the 34,240 staff recommended by the RMSI Report of 2012. According to the Ministry’s data, Gujarat faces a deficit of 32,793 fire professionals.
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