PUNE: At first look, the Erandwane hearth station does not reasonably set your imagination on hearth. The dour facade, if truth be told, places you off instead of tempting you to step in.
But it's a trove of data. Apart from being a full-fledged hearth station, it doubles as India's best hearth brigade museum, housing firefighting apparatus from as far back as the 1930s.
From the majestic Rolls-Royce Dennis hearth engine that used to be used within the 1961 Panshet Dam rescue operation, to an array of displays, rusty helmets, hearth proximity fits, pre-Independence hand-operated sirens and lamps, the museum's carefully-curated collection provides a shockingly fascinating peek into firefighting all through the British period and all through the 60s and 70s.
Inspired by London's Fire Brigade Museum, the Late Keshavrao Narayanrao Jagtap Fire Brigade Museum used to be the brainchild of former chief hearth officer L N Raut, who felt the need for a similar facility within the town. Though the paintings and the planning for the development started around 2000-2001, it in any case took shape in 2016.
The museum, occupying the ground and first flooring, showcases more than 100 vintage firefighting apparatus. At the far proper nook on floor ground, stands the piece de resistance - the aforementioned Rolls-Royce, purchased for a princely sum of Rs 88,593 on January three, 1956.
"The vehicle was in service from 1956 to 1990. It used to be stationed near Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple, where there was a fire brigade station. The vehicle is still in running condition. We had taken it out on a tour of the city during the fire services week from April 14 to April 20 this year," says station officer Rajesh Jagtap.
The automobile has a storied historical past. It used to be used within the 1961 Panshet Dam rescue operations and in addition when an enormous blaze broke out close to the house of Baburao Narayanrao Sanas, Pune's first mayor. "The vehicle is the only one of its kind in the country that has survived. Those in the other parts of the country have long since been reduced to scrap," says Jagtap.
In truth, the just about 62-year-old automobile appears spanking new - a testament to the trouble that has gone into keeping up it.
"Before the Rolls-Royce (with an eightcylinder engine) was purchased from England, we had hand-pulled carriages mounted with water tanks. Later came the horse-drawn carriages and much later, bicycles," Jagtap says.
Earlier, the whole of Pune had just 3 hearth stations - at Bhavani Peth, close to the Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple and one close to Pune station, says Jagtap. "As the city grew, so did the number of fire stations. Now, we have 12 of them," he stated.
Even the selection of hearth tenders has higher, from the two or 3 within the 60s and 70s to the present fleet of 24 hearth engines, two rescue tenders, one foam mushy, 4 hydraulic platforms and 6 Royal Enfield bikes.
The walls of the museum, embellished with photographs of more than a few firefighting and rescue missions from around the nation, additionally provide attention-grabbing nuggets of data such as the formation of the Pune hearth brigade in 1844, the usage of guide engines here until 1914, the purchase of two land steam engines in 1912-13 and many extra.
The first ground showcases an collection of apparatus such as the more than a few varieties of ladders, varieties of displays used for spraying water and a choice of nozzles. Also on show are various kinds of helmets from the British Raj, when giant black helmets have been worn.
One can also learn extra in regards to the evolution of the firefighter's swimsuit itself. With advancements in era, firemen now wear various kinds of fits - from chemical resistant to fire-entry fits, from body-cooling fits to aluminium asbestos fits.
In one nook of the museum, are some of the gear that have been used all through rescue operation and more than a few varieties of knots.
"Nowadays, we use rescue belts instead of ropes. These belts can support weights up to 200kg," says Jagtap.
"Many lives are lost every year due to smoke caused by fire so we now have thermal imaging cameras to locate persons trapped in smoke. We also use victim-location cameras to rescue people who have been trapped under debris," he adds.
The museum additionally conducts regular hearth consciousness workshops for schoolchildren and others. But Jagtap consents that extra must be carried out.
"We have achieved just 20% to 30% of our target and plan to do more. We have appealed to various fire stations across Maharashtra and elsewhere for antique equipment which we want to exhibit here. There are also plans to hold live demonstration of firefighting techniques," he says.
But it's a trove of data. Apart from being a full-fledged hearth station, it doubles as India's best hearth brigade museum, housing firefighting apparatus from as far back as the 1930s.
From the majestic Rolls-Royce Dennis hearth engine that used to be used within the 1961 Panshet Dam rescue operation, to an array of displays, rusty helmets, hearth proximity fits, pre-Independence hand-operated sirens and lamps, the museum's carefully-curated collection provides a shockingly fascinating peek into firefighting all through the British period and all through the 60s and 70s.
Inspired by London's Fire Brigade Museum, the Late Keshavrao Narayanrao Jagtap Fire Brigade Museum used to be the brainchild of former chief hearth officer L N Raut, who felt the need for a similar facility within the town. Though the paintings and the planning for the development started around 2000-2001, it in any case took shape in 2016.
The museum, occupying the ground and first flooring, showcases more than 100 vintage firefighting apparatus. At the far proper nook on floor ground, stands the piece de resistance - the aforementioned Rolls-Royce, purchased for a princely sum of Rs 88,593 on January three, 1956.
"The vehicle was in service from 1956 to 1990. It used to be stationed near Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple, where there was a fire brigade station. The vehicle is still in running condition. We had taken it out on a tour of the city during the fire services week from April 14 to April 20 this year," says station officer Rajesh Jagtap.
The automobile has a storied historical past. It used to be used within the 1961 Panshet Dam rescue operations and in addition when an enormous blaze broke out close to the house of Baburao Narayanrao Sanas, Pune's first mayor. "The vehicle is the only one of its kind in the country that has survived. Those in the other parts of the country have long since been reduced to scrap," says Jagtap.
In truth, the just about 62-year-old automobile appears spanking new - a testament to the trouble that has gone into keeping up it.
"Before the Rolls-Royce (with an eightcylinder engine) was purchased from England, we had hand-pulled carriages mounted with water tanks. Later came the horse-drawn carriages and much later, bicycles," Jagtap says.
Earlier, the whole of Pune had just 3 hearth stations - at Bhavani Peth, close to the Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple and one close to Pune station, says Jagtap. "As the city grew, so did the number of fire stations. Now, we have 12 of them," he stated.
Even the selection of hearth tenders has higher, from the two or 3 within the 60s and 70s to the present fleet of 24 hearth engines, two rescue tenders, one foam mushy, 4 hydraulic platforms and 6 Royal Enfield bikes.
The walls of the museum, embellished with photographs of more than a few firefighting and rescue missions from around the nation, additionally provide attention-grabbing nuggets of data such as the formation of the Pune hearth brigade in 1844, the usage of guide engines here until 1914, the purchase of two land steam engines in 1912-13 and many extra.
The first ground showcases an collection of apparatus such as the more than a few varieties of ladders, varieties of displays used for spraying water and a choice of nozzles. Also on show are various kinds of helmets from the British Raj, when giant black helmets have been worn.
One can also learn extra in regards to the evolution of the firefighter's swimsuit itself. With advancements in era, firemen now wear various kinds of fits - from chemical resistant to fire-entry fits, from body-cooling fits to aluminium asbestos fits.
In one nook of the museum, are some of the gear that have been used all through rescue operation and more than a few varieties of knots.
"Nowadays, we use rescue belts instead of ropes. These belts can support weights up to 200kg," says Jagtap.
"Many lives are lost every year due to smoke caused by fire so we now have thermal imaging cameras to locate persons trapped in smoke. We also use victim-location cameras to rescue people who have been trapped under debris," he adds.
The museum additionally conducts regular hearth consciousness workshops for schoolchildren and others. But Jagtap consents that extra must be carried out.
"We have achieved just 20% to 30% of our target and plan to do more. We have appealed to various fire stations across Maharashtra and elsewhere for antique equipment which we want to exhibit here. There are also plans to hold live demonstration of firefighting techniques," he says.
Hidden gems inside India's only fire brigade museum
![Hidden gems inside India's only fire brigade museum]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
November 27, 2017
Rating:
