The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) has asked the Delhi government to increase staffing on priority, citing an acute shortage of over 6,600 personnel – a shortfall of over 72.5% against the requirement of 9,123 personnel – according to documents accessed by HT.
Sure enough, the proposal sent to the state Department of the Interior quoted numbers based on 24-hour shifts that firefighters currently perform, versus the 8-hour shifts recommended by the Fire Safety Board to “reduce fatigue and improve operational efficiency.”
Chief Fire Officer AK Malik confirmed that a proposal had been sent in this regard, a copy of which was seen by HT.
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A senior fire department official, requesting anonymity, said: “A proper eight-hour shift system is the ideal operational model for firefighting agencies, but its implementation requires a much higher manpower. At present, our staff is running an extended system as emergency response cannot stop.”
Senior officials said that although a final decision has not yet been taken on the proposal, the government has given its verbal approval.
Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said, “We are already working with the fire department to come up with a 25-year firefighting master plan. All staff, machinery and other requirements will be met in the next few years as the safety of Delhiites is our top priority. We will not leave any stone unturned in the efforts to modernize the fire department.”
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Delhi still witnesses frequent fires in factories, warehouses, residential colonies and commercial buildings, especially between April and August, during the peak of summer when energy consumption increases due to rising temperatures.
As per the DFS proposal, the current strength of the fire department is around 2,500 personnel, working across 71 fire stations in Delhi. While the Department of Field Support said 9,123 personnel were needed, officials said the requirements were based on a 24-hour shift.
Based on the recommended 8-hour shift model, this equates to an approximately 90.8% staff shortage, taking demand to 27,369 employees, with a shortage of 24,869 employees.
In total, 120 fire stations have been approved for construction in Delhi, of which 49 are yet to be built. The proposal states that this would require 48,000 firefighters in total, in line with standards set by the Interior Ministry’s Permanent Fire Advisory Council.
The shortage affects several aspects of firefighting operations, including response management, routine inspections, equipment maintenance, training schedules and reserve deployment during major emergencies, officials said.
Another FSD official, who did not wish to be named, said: “Whenever there is a major fire, personnel from multiple stations are brought together. Often, firefighters who have just returned from one operation are redeployed to another emergency. The workload becomes particularly intense during the summer months.”
Officials said the proposal comes about due to the pressure on emergency response infrastructure as the city expands rapidly and “densely populated neighborhoods continue to face issues, such as encroachments, narrow roads and illegal parking that hinder the movement of fire tenders.”
“Our firefighters continue to respond around the clock despite limited manpower. The department has been successful because staffing regularly exceeds the standard 24-hour requirement,” the second official said.
The proposed expansion also ties into the city’s future infrastructure needs of 120 fire stations, officials said. “Many peripheral areas are still waiting for dedicated stations due to their dependence on remote units during emergencies,” the second official said.
Senior officials said the enhanced staffing will not only help implement scientifically designed shift systems but also improve response times, reduce fatigue among firefighters and enhance preparedness during large-scale incidents.
