PUNE, April 15: After the unprecedented high temperatures of March and the nasty fires, they are being held responsible for, it is now the turn of the friendly neighbourhood fireman to come calling.Beginning April 20, the seven firestations of the Pune Municipal Corporation, will embark on a new project - that of imparting information and fire fighting guidance to the five lakh underprivileged population living in the 60 slums of the city.The move has been brought on by a record number of 14 fires in slums in March and April, the highest in the past six years, which the fire brigade is blaming on abnormally high summer temperatures and lack of awareness amongst the underprivileged.The clanging red fire engines of the fire brigade will wind their way into the most populated and congested localities, slum children will be invited to handle the massive water pipes, which will be connected to a local water source and friendly neighbourhood firemen will dispense information that can make a difference between life and death in case of a fire.``We want to cash in on the curiosity of the people, specially children, who will be attracted by the fire men in their blue uniforms, the brightly coloured fire tendors, the splash of water and the clanging of the fire engine,'' says chief fire officer L N Raut, who will accompany his men to the slums of Lohiyanagar, the largest in the city, from where the operation is to begin.The firemen will come calling twice in the week. Each engine will be manned by one driver, six firemen and one officer. While children clamour atop the tendors and water sprays are used to attract attention of residents, a mike will be used by the chief fireman to disseminate the required information. Advice will be given on steps that should be taken to prevent fire. This includes covering gunny bags and bamboo chatais used for making huts with mud plaster, avoid use of inflammable petroleum based polythene in constructing waterproof roofs, avoiding the storage of combustible material between two hutments, extinguishing all cinders in the chulha before sleeping and use of closed type chimneys for light.The operation will take off on April 20, after the completion of the ongoing Fire Service Week.
