Patna: Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and director-general (homeguard and fire services) P.N. Rai made a joint briefing on fire safety at the tent city for Prakash Utsav.

During the briefing, jawans of homeguard and fire services were trained on the use of fire extinguisher and asked the jawans to ensure fire safety in the area. Around 700 jawans of homeguard and fire services have been deputed at the tent city and Patna City were the main event has been organised.

Rai said: "We have divided the tent city into nine sections for round-the-clock presence of fire officers. Safety from fire is a major concern and for that we have installed 550 fire extinguishers in the tent city covering every corner of it."

Agarwal and Rai said all the fire extinguishers should be in working condition.

In the second-layer safety, 10 fire tenders have been put into service and proper water supply is being maintained.

"There would be 10 fire tenders in the tent city and proper supply of water. For that temporary water hydrant has been created so that they get water all the time. I have asked the officer to take all preventive measures. There should not be any chance of short-circuits. Wire joints should not be damaged and the wire should be placed underground," Rai said. Fire services are supported by the homeguard.

In the past two years, fire services have been integrated with homeguard because fire services are few in number. The homeguard and fire service work together.

Most of the jawans deployed in the service are fully aware of the use of fire extinguishers. They are also deployed on watchtowers so that they can immediately inform the base unit. A temporary fire station has been made at the tent city and senior officers have been deputed round the clock. The jawans also gave a demonstration on how to use the fire extinguishers.

Agarwal said: "Our motive behind the preventive measure is to ensure a peaceful festival and every officer deployed should hope for the best and be prepared for the worst."