It’s not only flames they fight, Kathmandu firefighters strive for work safety

The two weeks between Nepal’s two biggest festivals—Dashain and Tihar—is a relaxing period for many.

But, these two weeks make Parashu Ram Shahi, 53, and his three dozen colleagues, anxious. As Kathmanduites prepare for the Festival of Lights, Shahi is busy preparing for the worse.

A firefighter for past 17 years, Shahi says Kathmandu Valley witnesses five to 10 incidents of fire during Tihar every year. Juddha Barun Yantra, the fire brigade operated by Kathmandu Metropolitan City, has never had sufficient staff. Further, a multitude of other problems caused due to ‘inefficient’ leadership and ‘ignorant’ locals have made firefighting a risky job.

Keeping Life At Stake Every Moment

In the past 17 years, Shahi has dealt with more than 1,000 fires, mostly in Kathmandu. “On an average, our office deals with around 200 cases a year. Our workforce is divided into three groups to work three shifts. It means each of us gets around 60 cases a year,” he says.

If the firefighters were in any other profession, an extended work experience would boost their confidence. But, Shahi still feels the same jitters during a fire now as he felt when he started out.