The Gujarat government has ordered the recruitment of 244 vacant fire brigade posts in six municipal zones across the state.

There is a provision for 672 positions in the fire departments of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Gandhinagar. Out of these, 244 were vacant.

Fire department personnel in six municipal zones:

This recruitment aims to address the manpower shortage faced by the fire department, particularly in the wake of recent fire incidents in Rajkot and Surat, that have claimed several lives and caused extensive property damage.

Currently, a significant portion of the fire brigade staff is employed contractually.

This has raised concerns about the efficiency and preparedness of the department to handle emergencies.

To address these concerns, the government has directed the regional commissioners of the state to expedite the recruitment process and fill the vacant positions.