Fire safety of utmost concern for private sector post 26/11

Ketan Joshi, an ex-serviceman, is at present the Vadodara franchisee of a private fire safety company based in Haridwar. He said his company has registered a turnover of Rs 50 crore this financial year. 8220;It was not the Mumbai terror attack that prompted the officials to take these measures in the city. The companies do not get to trade with foreign clients if they do not follow fire safety regulations,8221; he added.

Meanwhile, fire officials in the city said on condition of anonymity that until recently, many exhibitions, fairs and shows had not been following fire safety guidelines. But due to the recent attacks and quality standards, these measures are now the top priority of various establishments.

8220;At a recently held IT fair in the city, I was surprised to see 20 small fire extinguishers,8221; said a fire official.

Not just IT fairs, but also religious functions, like the ongoing Swaminarayan Mahotsava in Manjalpur have met all the requirements of fire safety. Organisers said they have asked for 40 fire extinguishers from a private company and round-the-clock presence of a fire tender.

Corporate houses such as IPCL-Reliance, Novino Batteries and JCT Batteries hire security personnel with fire fighting experience. 8220;We conducted one-day training for the firemen before they were employed by Novino and JCT,8221; Joshi added.