JAMMU, DECEMBER 31: The Fire and Emergency Services, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a year of measurable progress in public safety and emergency management in 2025, reflecting the Department’s sustained focus on prevention, professional response and community engagement across the Union Territory.
During this year, the department responded to 6,039 fire calls, 59 rescue calls and 53 false calls, deploying 322 fire tenders and Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) with the support of 2,157 personnel. Timely and coordinated operations resulted in saving property worth ₹5000 crore (approximately), while losses were limited to ₹300 crore (approximately), underscoring the effectiveness of preparedness and rapid response mechanisms.
A major highlight of 2025 has been a reduction of 1,994 fire incidents compared to 2024, representing an approximate 25 percent decline from 8,033 incidents in the previous year. This notable decrease reflects the positive impact of sustained fire prevention initiatives and increased public awareness, contributing to safer communities.
Public awareness continues to be a central pillar of the Department’s strategy.
Under the special initiative of the Director Fire and Emergency Services, Alok Kumar, a comprehensive fire safety awareness campaign launched in August 2022 has been carried out regularly across diverse occupancies. The core motive of this campaign is to promote the concept of “Har Ghar Fire fighter”, envisaging that every household should have at least one trained and sensitized individual capable of responding effectively to a fire incident at the initial stage, thereby mitigating loss of life and property.
Up to December 2025, 9,887 awareness programmes were organized in educational institutions, hospitals, nursing homes and other establishments, reaching over 10.3 lakh participants, including students, staff, healthcare professionals and members of the general public. These programmes focus on fire prevention, life safety, practical fire safety measures, safe use of electrical and other appliances, and appropriate initial response during emergencies.
In view of the heightened fire risk during severe weather conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, additional preventive measures were undertaken by strategically deploying fire tenders, QRVs and fire pumps at identified vulnerable locations across the Union Territory to ensure faster first response.
In far-flung and isolated areas, local volunteers and public representatives were trained in basic fire fighting and fire prevention techniques, strengthening community-level preparedness where immediate professional response may be constrained.
Institutional safety compliance also received sustained attention during the year. A total of 3,728 fire safety audits were conducted in hospitals, hotels, nursing homes, educational institutions, government buildings and commercial establishments, with recommendations issued to enhance firefighting infrastructure, evacuation preparedness and overall safety standards.
The Department played a crucial role during recent flood situations, particularly in Anantnag and Srinagar, where search, rescue and dewatering operations were carried out at more than 60 locations, providing significant relief to the affected population.
The Department also rendered vital support during “Operation Sindoor” by mobilizing fire tenders and trained crews particularly in Poonch, Uri, Sopore and Kupwara districts. In addition, comprehensive fire safety cover was provided during the Annual “Shri Amarnathji Yatra” (SANJY)-2025, with the establishment of over 30 temporary fire stations along the two yatra routes from the Baltal axis (Ganderbal) and the Pahalgam axis (Anantnag), ensuring the safety of pilgrims and seamless emergency response throughout the pilgrimage period.
To further strengthen capacity building, the Department, under the leadership of Director F&ES, has established a new “Fire Training Centre” (FTC) at Bari Brahmana. So far, two batches have successfully completed the Basic Firemanship Course, while six batches have completed refresher training programmes, enhancing professional competence and operational efficiency.
The achievements of 2025 underscore a comprehensive and forward-looking approach adopted by the Fire and Emergency Services, Jammu and Kashmir, seamlessly integrating robust operational capability with prevention, public awareness and active community participation.
The Department reaffirms its steadfast commitment to safeguarding lives and property and to further strengthening a resilient and sustainable culture of fire safety across the Union Territory.
