BMC panel amends experience required for fire brigade posts

MUMBAI: The BMC law committee on Monday passed a proposal to change the experience requirement for becoming a joint or deputy chief fire officer (CFO). The proposal will now be sent to the state for approval. The fire brigade had expressed concern over the fact that on June 1, 2012, one joint CFO and five deputy CFOs will retire.
Going by the experience required currently, the posts would remain vacant until 2014."This would burden the fire brigade. The posts are very important not just for fire fighting but for the functioning of the department as a whole. If there are no senior officers in the fire department, there will be a great vacuum, which would result in several problems," said a fire officer.
According to the current requirements, a station officer is promoted to the level of an assistant divisional fire officer (ADFO) after three years, who in turn becomes a divisional fire officer (DFO) after another three years. The DFO is expected to complete three years before being promoted to the post of the deputy CFO. This officer, in turn, is expected to complete one year before being promoted to the post of joint CFO.
According to the new requirements, to rise to the post of deputy CFO, a total of six years as ADFO and DFO will be required. Within that, a minimum of one year experience as DFO will be required.
To be promoted to the post of joint CFO, a candidate should have a minimum experience of one year as deputy CFO and a total of six years as DFO and ADFO. Hence, completion of all posts in seven years will be required. At the moment, there are 16 ADFOs, 11 DFOs, seven deputy CFOs, one joint CFO and one CFO.