To rescue entangled birds, Mumbai Fire Brigade to buy 57 new telescopic poles

“The MFB receives many complaints from citizens where we see birds trapped within kite strings or on poles. These poles often have high-tension electric cables running through them and in cases of electric current leaking, it leads to shock and hurts our firemen, leading to grievous injuries,” a senior MFB official said.

Currently, each fire station in Mumbai has one bird rescue pole, procured in 2017. Speaking to The Indian Express, an official said that of the 57 new poles, one each will be distributed across the 35 fire stations and the remaining will be stationed at its quarters in the eastern suburbs, western suburbs and island city division for emergency dispatch.

“Presently, we have one bird rescue pole in our fire station but since it has been nearly a decade since they were procured, we have floated a tender to procure modified bird rescue poles which will be sturdier and better for rescue,” the senior MFB official said.

Amidst an increasing number of high-rises and electric lines across Mumbai, animal welfare bodies and rescuers have pointed out that the city has been recording an uptick in cases of birds being trapped within ducts and high-tension wires. Furthermore, during festivities like Makar Sankranti, kite-string-related injuries injure many birds. Data showed that during Makar Sankranti this year, at least 40 birds including pigeons, owls and kites suffered injuries ranging from minor cuts to severe wounds.

According to Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden of Mumbai and founder of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), they receive an average of 700-800 bird rescue calls annually. “While we aid in the rescue of stranded birds, in several situations, birds get trapped in ducts, high tension wires or poles at a great height. In such cases, it is not possible for volunteer rescuers to reach the spot and we require the expertise of the fire brigade. Their intervention is important not only for the timely rescue of birds but also for the rescuer’s safety,” Sharma told The Indian Express.