MODERNIZATION OF FIRE SERVICE AND CIVIL DEFENSE - A NEED OF THE TIME

Abstract

Bangladesh is a disaster prone country. Often it has to experience very tragic
incidents of fire, building collapse and motor launch capsize causing irreparable
loss of lives and properties. Moreover, seismologists predict that the city of Dhaka
and certain parts of the country are likely to experience major earthquakes which
might be at Richter scale 6 or more. If the predictions of seismologists happen
to be true, the consequences will be unimaginable. The Department of Fire
Service & Civil Defense in Bangladesh is the only organization to address these
calamities. But it has a number of limitations which stands as a barrier on the way
to its addressing disasters in recent years and years to come in future. Moreover,
the civil defense parameter of the organization is inactive. Civil defense has the
capacity to address disasters and develop disaster preparedness among people
effectively even during warfare situation. The aim of the study is to examine the
existing capability of the fire service and civil defense directorate. To evaluate
the constraints of the organization, few major fire incidents in recent times have
been reviewed. Interview of concerned personnel including the director general
of FS&CD have been taken. The existing structure, management, manpower,
equipments & rules and regulations of Bangladesh FS&CD directorate has been
examined. The study argues that the existing capability of Bangladesh FS&CD
Directorate is not up to the mark to address disasters . So, it is recommended
that the FS&CD Directorate need to be modernized. Its structure, management,
manpower, equipments, etc. should be reorganized and updated as per need of the
time. With this end in view the organizational structure of the same at Singapore
known as SCDF is also examined and compared to that of Bangladesh. On the
basis of the above examination and analysis a consistent recommendation is
made to modernize the existing Fire Service & Civil Defense directorate.