After road officials were given android phones to track potholes,fire officers may get iPads to conduct safety checks in buildings across the city. A fire department proposal says the iPads would play a key role in operationalising a new communication cell it is setting up to implement safety measures and increase awareness among citizens. Fire department officials said a proposal for the communication cell would be sent to the BMC commissioner next week. The department says iPads would speed up fire safety audits and help maintain an electronic record of violations in buildings. It will also help officers e-mail violation notices. Inspecting officers will use i-pads to fill up forms listing the 30-35 parameters,including a particular staircase width,provision of fire extinguishers and riser systems,mandatory to ensure safety of a premise. The software will be programmed to record violations of safety norms and e-mail notices to heads of residential societies even before a fire officer steps out of a building after an inspection, an officer said. Details of violations will be simultaneously uploaded on the website of the communication cell,too. This will help BMC prosecute societies for violation of fire safety norms in court. Through the communication cell,we hope to answer queries regarding implementation of Fire Safety Act 2006. This way,citizens can ensure safety measures are in place, said a senior civic official. Deputy fire officer S H Nesarikar said: The cell will maintain information such as contact details of members of a society. Most housing societies are unaware of fire safety measures they need to implement. Brainchild of municipal commisioner Sitaram Kunte,the cell will also maintain information such as location and names of housing societies and their office-bearers. The fire brigade estimates about 4 lakh buildings in the city do not comply with the new safety rules. Maharashtra Fire and Life Safety Measures Act 2006 makes it compulsory for residential buildings with more than seven floors to take a fire safety compliance test twice a year and submit a report to the fire brigade. But few residential societies do this. sharvari.patwa@expressindia.com
