Fire services personnel recall success stories, challenges in rescue operations

Fire and rescue services personnel saved thousands of lives in Thoothukudi & Tirunelveli during unprecedented rain & floods.

The past few weeks have demonstrated the pivotal role played by the fire and rescue services personnel in saving thousands of lives in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung in Chennai and its neighbouring areas and the unprecedented rain in the southern districts of the State.

Several senior fire and rescue services personnel told The Hindu that they had never experienced such a crisis in a career spanning decades. They never expected that the year-end downpour would turn life upside down in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli.  

District Fire Officer M. Manoprasanna said that though the department deployed several teams before the onset of the rain, the unprecedented flood that followed necessitated more personnel, vehicles and equipment to bring the situation under control.  

“The forecast that we received was for a rainfall of 27 cm, which was normal for the district. But we ended up receiving 90 cm of rainfall – thrice what was expected,” he said.  

Faced with such a situation, the department immediately roped in more teams from nearby districts such as Madurai, Tiruchi and Dindigul, taking the total strength to 360 personnel. In addition to this, four troop carriers, 19 boats, 16 mobile fire tenders, two emergency rescue tenders and five quick rescue vehicles were sourced from various districts. 

“The situation that unfolded after water from the Thamirabarani was released from the dam was unimaginable,“ said V. Balakrishnan, a driver-mechanic of the Fire and Rescue Services Department.  

Balakrishnan and his team were widely praised after a video of them rescuing two middle-aged men from floodwater at Arumuganeri went viral.