Female firefighters gear up for exams

Mumbai: The last day of practical training for the batch of 97 women firefighters,on Tuesday at the Wadala regional command centre, saw most participants relieved to have completed it. They now have to gear up for the theoretical examination.

The women were recruited by the Mumbai Fire Brigade in a historic move recently.

Hailing from different parts of Maharashtra, their first exposure to the world of firefighting has outshone their expectations. Fortified by their training, they exuded confidence of being able to battle fires and save the lives of those trapped in burning houses.

This is the first mass women recruitment by the fire department, which earlier has 18 women firefighters. The batch will join the department from December 15. Speaking to The Asian Age, Y.R. Jadhav, deputy Chief Fire Officer of the Fire Brigade, said, “The women who were being trained for various fire and combustion drills have shown immense confidence to take on the challenge. These women, who are not more than 25 years of age, possess the required courage to enter a professional field that is not very popular among today’s youth.”

A senior fire officer said, “Like all government jobs, the fire services represent a solid opportunity for young women — respectability, a steady salary, and a shot at making something of yourself in the big city.”

Speaking to this paper, one of the trainees, Lalita Bhoir (22), said, “The adrenaline rush of being able to save someone’s life is extremely satisfying and duty takes over fear.” Another trainee, Deepali Bhojane (22), said, “My father too is a firefighting officer, and when I heard about the opening for a recruitment, I jumped at the chance. Today I am glad I did that. The training that I obtained here will definitely help me save many lives.”