Mira Bhayandar: MBMC Inducts 16 Firefighting Bikes Into Its Fleet

Mira Bhayandar: Firefighters will now ride on red Royal Enfield Bullets equipped with advanced firefighting technology to respond quickly to fires in the twin-city. The Fire and Emergency Services wing attached to the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has inducted 16 firefighting motorcycles as the latest addition to its emergency-response fleet.

The bikes were inaugurated by Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Katkar in the presence of senior fire brigade officials, including Deputy Civic Chief Maruti Gaikwad and Chief Fire Officer Prakash Borade, at the civic headquarters in Bhayandar (west) on Friday. “The 350 CC (cubic capacity) motorcycles, which will be used as first responders to minimize the response time required to reach any spot to fight a blaze, have been specially customized for the fire department. They will be used to douse fires in slums and congested areas, where a conventional fire truck usually faces difficulty in reaching the incident spot,” said Katkar.

Throwing light on the host of features loaded on the bikes, Gaikwad said, “Apart from two backpack-style mist-based fire extinguishers for the rapid suppression of the fire and 35 liters of water tanks fitted on both sides, the bike is armed with an aerodynamic windshield, fog lamps, revolving flicker lights, two-way jet spray guns, a 20-meter hose reel pipe, a heavy-duty pressure pump with 100 bar pressure, a first aid box, a mobile holder with a charging point, siren, and public announcement system.”

Certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the bikes have been procured from a Tamil Nadu-based company. They have been customised according to international standards by Gabriel Zuzarte and his team from Road Rage Customs Build. “With the ability to move much faster compared to a fire engine—especially on narrow lanes and congested areas—the bikes will be a valuable asset for our department. The first few minutes of a fire are crucial, as it can be prevented from spreading further if timely action is taken,” said Chief Fire Officer Prakash Borade.

Spread across an area of 79.4 sq.km., the twin-city, with a populace of more than 14 lakh, is a blend of urban, rural, coastal, tribal, and industrial areas. While two fire bikes will be made available at each of the eight fire stations in the twin-city, firefighters have received necessary training to handle the bikes and utilize the functions properly.