FSCD decentralises equipment, command structure to face major earthquake

The Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) is decentralising its manpower, rescue equipment and command structure so that rescue operations can continue even if a fire station or its headquarters is damaged in a major earthquake.
Rescue equipment is being distributed among 41 points in and around Dhaka, a special rescue team is stationed in Purbachal, separate teams are being formed in divisional cities and 100 fire stations around Dhaka are being kept ready to support the capital.
Acting Officer of the Fire Service Media Cell Shahjahan Shikder told BSS that a major earthquake could require simultaneous rescue operations in different areas. Earthquake analysts say such a mega-disaster occurs roughly once in 100 years, and more than a century has passed since one of that scale struck Bangladesh. As earthquakes cannot be forecast, experts said, preparedness and training are essential.
To keep the command system running if the old headquarters in Old Dhaka is damaged, two directors and other command officials will work from Mirpur, where the media wing has also moved. Training activities at Mirpur-10 have been shifted to the new Multipurpose Training Complex in Purbachal.
An earthquake-resistant, multi-storey headquarters is being built in Mirpur-10 with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), using "base isolation technology" for the first time in Bangladesh. The technology ensures the building would not collapse even in a magnitude 8 earthquake. The project, undertaken with the Public Works Department, is due for completion in 2028. Most equipment was traditionally kept at the headquarters, so a collapse could hamper rescue work. With equipment now spread across 41 points, supplies can be brought from a nearby station if one is damaged.
Special Rescue Teams (SRTs) trained in collapsed-structure search and rescue have been formed, with 50 to 60 members in Purbachal and 20 at each divisional headquarters.
Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet are considered particularly vulnerable. Talks have also been held with the Bangladesh Air Force on airlifting teams and equipment by helicopter if roads become inaccessible, and a memorandum of understanding is being planned.
Prof Dr Md Zillur Rahman of Dhaka University said Bangladesh faces earthquake risks, particularly in the northeast. "Thus, integrated preparedness is necessary," he said. Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahmudul Hasan, director (operations and maintenance) of the FSCD, said the biggest challenge would be handling simultaneous disasters at different locations. "Entering a damaged building without first assessing its stability could also put rescuers at risk," he said.