Chennai: The state fire and rescue services is all set to procure five specialised vehicles each costing Rs 25.5 lakh to carry out rescue works during inundation.
During the 2015 floods, the state rescue services received close to 20,000 calls.
Though the department sprang into action by deploying personnel, vehicles and boats in various spots and put in their best efforts in rescuing people, a total of 269 people died.
This could have been avoided if the department was provided with specialised vehicles to handle such situations. Realising this, the department had sent a proposal to the state finance department through the planning commission to provide them Rs 2.5 crore to procure five such vehicles.
"The initial idea was to procure 10 specialised vehicles for six coastal districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram besides regional headquarters in Madurai, Coimbatore Trichy and Vellore," TNFRS sources told DC.
It was learnt that during the recent project appraisal meet, the government was decided to procure five Emergency Response Tender (ERT) vehicles for coastal districts during the first phase and continue with the procurement process for other districts depending on the results.
A senior TNFRS official said that these ERT vehicles unlike the conventional rescue vehicles and air-filled rescue boats, which get punctured by flood debris, can be driven in flood water and are sturdy.
The ERT vehicles would carry special equipment like spreaders, cutters and power packs to rescue people trapped behind jammed doors, cars and lifts and fully submerged houses.
The state exchequer has earmarked Rs 1.25 crore for this process and they would soon be inducted into service, sources added.
