The Fire and Rescue Services Directorate plays a very vital role in the area of fire fighting and fire prevention. Properties worth crores of rupees are saved each year from the ravages of fire and scores of people have been rescued from fires. Apart from fire fighting, this department also undertakes rescue activities and has saved hundreds of people, marooned in floods, and caught in the debris of fallen buildings, road and rail accidents and other natural and man-made disasters.

Besides fire fighting and rescue operations, the Fire Service has statutory, regulatory and advisory functions also. Advisory functions relate to educating society on fire protection measures and helping to implement them. The statutory function is that of inspecting various premises to ensure that they conform to regulations in various Acts and Rules for fire safety.

Fire Prevention is an elementary function of Fire Service Department. In order to intensify fire prevention work, Fire Prevention Wings have been formed in 12 places in the state of Tamil Nadu. These Wings undertake propagation of fire prevention methods to the rural and urban population and address specified target groups so that risks by fire are minimized.

In order to prevent and deal with fire accidents in inaccessible slums in Chennai City, outposts are opened in such slums. These outposts are provided with high capacity Synthetic tanks to hold enough water and portable fire pumps with hoses and wireless sets and they are manned round the clock.

Ambulance services are available in 75 Fire and Rescue Services Stations and 1 at State Training Centre for training purpose. The sick and injured are swiftly removed to hospitals for immediate medical aid at reasonable hire charges. The poor are transported free of charge. The hire charges are collected with reference to the distance covered by the Ambulances.

Fire Service vehicles are utilized for bandobust and standby arrangements during festivals and large gatherings.

The Fire and Rescue Services Department in Tamil Nadu is a Service Department whose functions are varied and substantial. Besides the SERVICE function, it has STATUTORY, REGULATORY AND ADVISORY functions also.

On the Service side, the prime concern of the Department is to save lives and property from the danger, damage and destruction caused by fire. Besides fire fighting and helping to prevent fires, the other service functions of the department include offering emergency relief and rescue measures to victims not only of fire, but also of all types of natural and other calamities and mishaps such as floods, cyclones, landslides, building collapses, explosive accidents, railway accidents, major disasters, etc. Further, it assists the Police Department during elections, riots, fairs and festivals, in providing VIP bandobust and also assists the Public Health Department in times of epidemics. The ambulance services available with the Department are used to transport the sick and injured to hospitals for medical aid and treatment.

The Department also provides advice on fire protection measures for high-rise buildings, factories, places of public resort and fairs and festivals.

The Department also has a statutory role in inspection of various buildings as provided for under the Fire Service Act and Rules.

(i) No transformer shall be located below the first basement or above the ground floor

(ii) A sub-station or switch station with apparatus having more than 2000 litres oil shall not be allowed in the case of indoor transformer.

(iii) The indoor transformer should preferably be housed in a fireproof room with walls and doors sufficient fire rating.

(iv) The room in the ground floor of the basement housing the transformer shall have a free access to the outside.

(v) There shall be a curb or a dwarf wall around the transformer so that oil spills if any, is contained within the curb. There shall also be a suitable drain with a ‘ flame-arrester

(vi) If in the basement, the transformers shall be adequately protected against fire by a high velocity water spray or a CO2 flooder of suitable capacity, depending upon the size of the transformer.

(vii) The switchgears, if any shall be housed in a separate room with suitable fire resistance walls.

(viii)The transformers shall be located only in the periphery of the basement or ground floor, observing suitable clearances.

(ix) DCP or CO2 portable fire extinguishers of a minimum capacity of 10 kg. shall be kept near the doorway housing the transformer.

(x) All indoor transformers shall be subjected to periodic inspection and shall be replaced in good time so that there is no fire risk.

(xi) The room shall be well ventilated so that the transformer remains cool.

(xii) The room shall have emergency and automatic lighting with independent power supply.

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