The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a Fire Commission, effective September 1, to modernise the State’s Fire and Rescue Services and strengthen disaster response mechanisms.
As per the government order, retired Director General of Police and former head of Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services, Shankar Jiwal, has been appointed as the commission’s chief. The Additional Director of Fire and Rescue Services and the Member-Secretary of CMDA will serve as ex-officio convenor and member, respectively.
Other members of the panel include K P Sathyamurthy, former Engineer-in-Chief and Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, and M Namasivayam, retired District Officer of Fire and Rescue Services, as full-time members. Dr. A M Ikram, Fire Marshal Secretary of the Indian Medical Association at CMC Vellore, has been named a part-time member.
Initially, the commission will function from the Fire and Rescue Services headquarters or from an alternate office provided by CMDA.
The newly formed body has been tasked with introducing advanced technologies in fire safety, life rescue, and disaster response operations. It will also oversee the regulation of fire licences and safety certifications for buildings, while designing new training programmes and upgrading skills of personnel to enhance preparedness.
The move is part of the State government’s efforts to improve public safety, standardise fire safety measures, and modernise the Fire and Rescue Services infrastructure.