All about DRDO Skill Development Centre for Fire Safety Training

Rajnath Singh, the Defence Minister of India has inaugurated a DRDO Skill Development Centre for Fire Safety Training at Pilakhuwa in UP. Know all about the facility, the technical availability and the significance of its presence

Mar 8, 2021, 18:37 IST

DRDO SDC

Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated Skill Development Centre (SDC) for Fire Safety Training of DRDO at Pilkhuwa in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The SDC DRDO facility would be helpful in developing trained human resources along with fire safety technology and products that can be used to save life and assets.
The facility would be utilised for imparting fire prevention and fire-fighting training to the Fire Service personnel of Indian Armed Forces, DRDO, Ordnance Factories, Coast Guard and defence undertakings.
First of its Kind: The facility is first of its kind developed by a Delhi based DRDO Lab called the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety. The facility was established in 1992.
Armaments Directorate of DRDO manages and administers CFEES
The Skill development facility is spread in a 24 acres area at Pilkhuwa.
As per the Govt of India, various trainees from Bhutan, Sri Lanka and other neighbouring countries would also be imparted training at the Centre.

The facility has been created by the adoption of state of the art technology which involved various simulation systems validating fireside at a sensible scale.
It has been specially designed to meet the challenges and enhance the skills of Defence Fire Service Personnel and Combatants from the armed forces.
SDC has four bays with fire-fighting and rescue appliances.
The appliances include hydraulic platform, air crash fire tender and emergency rescue tender.
These would be used for imparting practical/hands-on training.
They would also provide for important life-saving personal protective equipment for the fire fighters.
The Centre has a Fire Drill Tower.
It also has an emergency escape chute that is to be used for simulation of fire in high rise buildings, Breathing Apparatus Training Facility, a Model Fire Station that has specialised fire-fighting and rescue appliances, LPG Petroleum Tank Farm Simulator, Fire Suit Test and Evaluation facility, a Hostel and Transit Facility and Administrative and Training Facility.
The SDC is to be managed and maintained by CFEES. It is the organization that carries out safety audits, training activities and R&D activities in the area of fire, explosive & environment safety.
CFEES trains almost 500 personnel every year in modules customised to the needs of Ministry of Defence (MoD) establishments.

The high standard facilities to be used in this SDC would result in enhanced levels of fire safety awareness.
It would also lead to the implementation of safety provisions in defence establishments which in turn would minimise the loss of life and property due to fire accidents.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau, every fifth death in the world is due to that in India caused by fire. As many as 13000 fire accidents occurred in the country in 2018 which need enhanced mechanisms to be saved.
India loses as many as 35 people per day due to fire and two thirds of people facing fire accidents belong to the age group of 18-40, maximum of them being women.