Kolkata: After hotels and shopping malls, the state fire and emergency services department has launched an extensive on-site safety audit across major private healthcare facilities in Kolkata, reviewing on-ground preparedness and the functioning of automated emergency response mechanisms.In the special drive, which commenced on Friday, teams inspected major facilities across south Kolkata, including Manipal Hospital (Dhakuria), Ruby General Hospital, Belle Vue Clinic, and Woodlands Hospital. On Saturday, audit teams visited BM Birla Heart Research Centre, CMRI, Desun Hospital and Fortis Hospital, among others. Officials said both private and state govt institutions across the state will be covered later.“We are examining whether basic fire-safety systems are functional and whether hospitals have adequate arrangements to respond to an emergency,” a senior fire official said. During the two-day drive, officials scrutinised entry and exit routes, emergency staircases, smoke detectors, automated sprinkler networks, yard hydrants, static water storage reserves, and the readiness of internal in-house emergency response teams.Supratik De Sarkar, zonal head of BM Birla Heart Hospital, hailed the initiative. Sombrata Roy, zonal head of CK Birla Hospitals (CMRI), said a live drill was conducted to assess response times.
