Fire and rescue force’s swift response to emergencies its biggest strength: Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala

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Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala | Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

Describing the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services as one of the State’s most respected frontline forces, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said its greatest strength was the speed with which its personnel respond when lives are at risk.

The Minister was speaking after receiving the salute at a joint passing-out parade of Fire and Rescue Services officers as well as trainees from the Puducherry Fire Service at the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Academy in Viyyur, Thrissur, on Thursday (September 17, 2026).

When an accident strikes and people are gripped by panic, the fire and rescue personnel are often the first to reach the scene and turn into lifesavers, he said. Their ability to respond swiftly and intervene without delay remains the force’s biggest strength.

The uniform, he said, represents the readiness to enter places others cannot reach and is a source of hope and courage for people in distress.

The force was renamed the Fire and Rescue Services to reflect its wider mandate of saving lives not only during fires but also during natural disasters and other emergencies, the Minister said.

He urged the newly trained personnel to put to effective use the knowledge, skills, confidence and discipline acquired during their training throughout their careers. The force has a critical role in leading rescue operations during accidents, disasters and other emergencies, he said.

Mr. Chennithala also stressed the need to make effective use of modern technology and equipment to enhance the efficiency of rescue operations.

A total of 141 trainees participated in the joint passing-out parade held at the academy parade ground. They included 74 newly trained fire and rescue officers and 16 fire and rescue officers (drivers) from Keralam, besides 39 trainees of the 10th External Fireman Course and 12 trainees of the 11th External Fireman Driver-cum-Pump Operator Course from the Puducherry Fire Service.

The trainees underwent intensive practical and technical training in firefighting, rescue operations, handling emergencies, operating rescue equipment, firefighting techniques and disaster management. Physical fitness, discipline and a spirit of service were also given special emphasis.

The new batch included candidates with a wide range of educational qualifications. Among the 141 trainees were three postgraduates in MA, two in MCom and three in MSc, besides one each with MCA, MEd and MSW qualifications. The batch also included 26 BA and BCom graduates each, 22 BSc graduates, 20 BTech graduates, six BCA graduates, seven diploma holders, seven ITI-qualified candidates and 16 Plus Two holders.

MLA Rajan J. Pallan; Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards Director General Balram Kumar Upadhyay; Fire and Rescue Services Director (Administration) Arun Alphonse; Thrissur Range DIG T. Narayanan; Kerala Police Academy Director IG K. Sethuraman; Thrissur City District Police Chief Nakul Rajendra Deshmukh; Thrissur Rural District Police Chief Mohammed Nadeemuddin; and academy Assistant Directors M.S. Suvi and Ashraf Ali were among those present.

Academy Assistant Director S.L. Dileep administered the oath to the trainees.

The Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Academy provides basic, in-service and external training, with a focus on modern firefighting and rescue technologies and hands-on skills. By training personnel from different States and Union Territories, the academy has also emerged as a national-level training centre for fire and rescue services.

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