Citizen's Charter

 
DIRECTORATE OF FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES
GOVERNMENT OF GOA

CITIZEN’S CHARTER

This Charter seeks to provide a frame work which enables the people to know:-

What services are available in this Department, the quality of services they are entitled to, and the means through which complaints regarding denial or poor quality of service will be redressed.

PREAMBLE
 
Fire has been viewed as a force both beneficent and destructive. The destructive potential of Fire poses a threat to out life, property and resources and it has been a major reason for the destruction of life as much as it has been a vital means and source of sustenance for mankind. The role of public fire protection service is to save life and property from fire and allied incidents and to minimize the outbreak of fires and its consequential loss within the jurisdiction of its responsibilities. With this end in view, the Directorate of Fire Service was established in 1984 to provide an efficient and effective fire and emergency services to aid people in distress and to protect the gains accrued through our sustained efforts in the State of Goa. Some of the major measures taken by the Government for development of Fire Services are:-

The department generally attends emergency calls, which are not directly connected with fire, in order to help the people in distress. Over the years, it has attained a multi-dimensional role in saving and protecting life and property of the people with its activities in Fire Prevention, Fire suppression and Training.

Goa Fire Service has always handled challenges posed to it with dexterity and in the process upholding its cherished Motto “We Serve to Save” and living up to its reputation as a dependable Civil Emergency Force of the State.

I am sure the information given in the Charter will be useful and provide an insight to the public about the command structure and working of the Fire Force. 

MISSION/VISION STATEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT

VISION 
To raise the level of Prevention and Preparedness so as to minimize loss of life and property in the State from fire and non-fire emergencies and to inculcate safety consciousness among the general public.

MISSION

Enhancing the capacity in terms of men and materials to be able to realize the Vision;

Developing Fire and Emergency Service as a Service Provider for reaching help to the people in distress, for all hazard purposes;

Ensuring community safety and enriching the members of the profession through training and education for preventing and mitigating the Fire loss to facilitate improve public safety.



OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT

• To prevent and suppress unwanted fires by rendering prompt and efficient services so as to keep the loss of life and property to the minimum.

• To conduct fire safety inspection in hazardous occupancies and to advise Management so as to reduce risk by fire.

• To impart training in Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Fire Protection.

• To implement fire safety regulatory measures under Fire Service Rules for uses of places and trades for purpose involving risk from fires.

• To provide standby protection at large gatherings and important public and private functions.

• To provide Ambulance services to rush the injured and sick to the hospital during accidents and also to private persons on exigencies on payment as per rules.

• To check installation of Fire Protection measures and carry out Fire fighting and responding to non-fire emergencies due to natural and man made disasters.

• To prevent loss of life and property from fire and non-fire emergencies like highway motor accidents, building collapse, land slides, still water rescue, Industrial hazards, spillage and toxic release, inter-alia technological hazards and to render humanitarian services and special services.

• To promote Community based preventive and coping strategies for all kinds of emergencies including fire etc.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Fire Service is a Civil Emergency Force of the Government of Goa, constituted under the Fire Force Act, 1986, which envisage a formal system of roles that members should perform so that they may best work as a team to achieve the objectives.

The Goa Fire and Emergency Services is headed by the Director with its Headquarters and Logistics Centre at Panaji. The approved strength of the Goa State Fire and Emergency Services is 527 including officers and administrative staff. It provides round the clock services with the set up of 12 Fire stations located in the township of the respective local Bodies/Municipalities, viz., Panaji, Mapusa, Margao (District), Vasco, Curchorem, Canacona, Ponda, Old-Goa, Bicholim, Valpoi, Pernem ,Verna and Kundaim. Each station is headed by one Station Fire Officer/Officer-in-charge, who are being supervised by the respective area Assistant Divisional Officers located at Panaji, Margao and Ponda for operational and administrative purpose.

The Administrative and Accounts section at the Headquarters are supervised by the Deputy Director (Admn.) and Assistant Accounts Officer respectively under the overall control of the Director, Fire and Emergency Services. 

The organizational chart shows the Command structure of the department.

View Large

FIRE PREVENTION AND TRAINING

The Fire Prevention Cell renders technical advise in fire safety management to Industries and also responsible for fire safety inspections in occupancies as required under statutory requirements to prevent the outbreak of fires and minimize its consequential loss. While we give preponderance in prevention of fires by raising awareness among people through public relation cell with the help of audio-visual aids, regular training is imparted to industrial and in-service personnel in Fire Safety Management. We have established a training centre at Panaji, where tailored training courses for various categories of staff are being conducted on regular basis. More than 12000 candidates from different parts of the country have attended various types of courses ranging from 3 days training to 6 months strenuous General Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Course at the Fire Force Training Centre, located at St.Inez, Panaji. Government of India has also identified the Goa Fire Force Training Centre as a potential training centre for conducting junior officers’ course of the National Fire Service College, Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nagpur.

Goa is the only State in India where Degree course in B.Sc. Fire Technology affiliated to Goa University is conducted in collaboration with the State Fire Department in association with the Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Miramar, Panaji, Goa. The first batch of the Degree course has passed out in 2007. 

The following courses are conducted at the Goa Fire Force Training Centre