Amid soaring temperatures, the public health department on Wednesday issued orders that mandatory comprehensive electrical and fire safety audits be carried out across all healthcare institutions in Pune district, officials said.
Written orders were issued by district civil surgeon Dr Nagnath Yempalay to all rural hospitals and sub-district hospitals to take proactive measures to prevent potential fire hazards that can arise due to excessive heat, ensuring the safety of patients, staff and medical infrastructure.
Dr Yempalay said that with rising temperatures, healthcare facilities become particularly vulnerable to fire-related incidents, often triggered by overloaded electrical systems, faulty wiring or overheating of medical equipment. “It is important to identify such risks and district health officials have instructed all hospitals—including district, sub-district, rural, and women’s hospitals—to conduct thorough electrical and fire safety assessment immediately,” he said.
Hospitals have been directed to inspect all electrical wiring, circuitry and transformers to detect and fix potential faults that can lead to short circuits. They have been asked to test fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and sprinkler systems for proper functionality. In case of faulty parts, the same should be immediately replaced/repaired. Besides, uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems and generators should also be inspected to ensure that hospitals remain operational during power failures, officials said.
Dr Yempalay further informed, “Hospital heads have been asked to check the functionality of all critical medical devices such as ventilators and air-cooling systems to prevent overheating-related malfunctions. Hospitals have also been asked to conduct fire safety drills and train staff on emergency evacuation procedures to enhance preparedness in case of an eventuality.”
Given the number of heat-related cases reported during summer, a special heat stroke unit (cold room) with 10 beds at District Hospital, Pune and five beds each at rural and sub-district hospitals have been set up with necessary medicines and equipment. Besides, a Rapid Response Team (RRT) has been deployed in every hospital, along with well-equipped ambulances to handle emergencies. Hospital administrators have been advised to set up shaded seating arrangements within the hospital premises and surrounding gardens. They have been asked to avoid public gatherings during peak afternoon hours to reduce heat exposure risks.
