The 36th Annual Inspection Day Parade of the Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services, Goa was held on 16th March 2024 at the Goa State Fire Force Training Ground, St. Inez, Panaji - Goa. The Inspection Day Parade is an annual event to test the overall operational fitness level of the Fire Personnel for prompt response in the event of any emergency. Certificates and Trophies were handed over to the winners of the Drill Competition and the Annual Sports events. Dr. V. Candavelou, I.A.S., Principal Secretary (Finance), Government of Goa was the Hon. Chief Guest for the function.
Shri Nitin V. Raiker, Director, Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services initially inspected the Annual Parade at 7:30 am and the best turn out of the Fire Personnel from various Ranks were selected for the Best Turn out Awards. The First Place for the Squad Drill was awarded to Panaji Fire Station, Ladder Drill to Fire Force Headquarters, Pump Drill to Mapusa Fire Station and Tug of War to Fire Force Headquarters. The Best Turn Out was awarded to Shri. Ganesh Govekar, Station Fire Officer, Shri. Rohidas D Parab, Shri. Sakharam Pednekar & Shri. Francisco Azavedo, Sub Officer, Shri. Bablo Majik, Shri. Gurunath Bhat Dessai, Shri. Umesh Achari & Shri. Domnic Martins, Leading Fire Fighters, Shri. Dyaneshwar Mandrekar, Driver Operator, Shri. Satish Mhamal, Shri. Paresh Mandrekar & Shri. Avinash Gaonkar, Fire Fighters and Best Platoon was awarded to Platoon No. 01 of Shri. Santosh Gawas, Station Fire Officer. Winners of the 11th Annual Sports Meet for Cricket was awarded to Central Zone, Football to South Zone & Volleyball to North Zone.
Shri. Nitin V. Raiker, Director, Fire & Emergency Services in his welcome address stated that the Annual Inspection Parade is an important occasion for the department wherein the Directorate is maintaining a healthy tradition of monthly Parades which ensure that the personnel at field level remains operationally fit and smartly Turn Out. The Annual Inspection Parade is a finishing touch to these efforts and the prizes awarded on the occasion has the salutary effect of improving the standards of performance.
Further he praised the Government for earnestly supporting the procurement of the sophisticated equipment for fire-fighting & Life Rescue in High Rise Buildings and also for handling of major disasters, as due to this technological advancements in the field of fire fighting it has resulted in better performance in saving life and property. Also further he stated that the Canacona Fire Station is presently functioning in a makeshift premises and the Department has identified the Land of Goa Housing Board, wherein the Goa Housing Board has agreed to provide a land of 2275 Sq. Mtrs and the proposal is submitted to the Government for approval to purchase a land. Shri. Nitin Raiker in his speech requested the Hon. Principal Secretary (finance) to look into the long pending issue of Fire Risk Allowance to all the Fire Personnel as per the recommendations of Central Seventh Pay Commission.
Dr. V. Candavelou, I.A.S., Principal Secretary (Finance), Government of Goa, in his Speech commended the performance of the March Past, Ladder Drill and Winners of the Athletic & Sports Events. Further he praised the department’s performance towards prompt & effective response in attending to Fire & Emergency Calls compared to the last three years. He further praised the Director, Fire & Emergency Services for his efforts in ensuring that the proposals for the upliftment of the department are obtained in a time bound manner from the Government.
The Department had organized Exhibition of Ladder Drill event which was carried out by the Fire Force Headquarters Fire Personnel crew, and the same was excellently executed within a timing of 1.33 mins and also displayed the exhibition of various equipment’s related to Fire Fighting, Search & Rescue, Swift Water/Flood Rescue, Medical First Responder (MFR), Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) and Lighting Equipment’s etc. for the general public at the Goa State Fire Force Training Ground.
Shri Ajit Kamat, Asst. Divisional Officer compered the function and proposed the Vote of Thanks.
