Please introduce yourself
My name is Manohar Lal Kalal. I have over 11 years’ experience in the fire safety sector and I work at Aslali Fire Station as a Sub Fire Officer with Ahmedabad Fire & Emergency Services. I have been studying with the IFE for last 5 years to expand my knowledge of fire safety.
Tell us about your career to date
My career in the fire safety sector began in 2012 when I joined Colosperse Dyes and Intermediates as a firefighter. Following which I progressed to Fire Supervisor at LNG Petronet Ltd. I then joined Max Super Speciality Hospital as a Fire Safety Officer. In 2015, I also completed a Sub Fire Officer course at the National Fire Service College in Nagpur, India.
Please describe your role within your current workplace
As Sub Fire Officer my responsibilities include: Attending emergency fire and rescue calls, participating in main fire control room duty of Ahmedabad city and taking part in fire station roll call and fire vehicle working activities. I also assist in the maintenance of all fire station documentation, including the duty book, occurrence book and log book.
Are there any key challenges in your role?
Industrial fires and fires in high-rise buildings present a major challenge as they are difficult to control and extinguish. If there are any casualities this increases the challenge as we must act quickly to get them to safety.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy conducting fire safety training and mock fire and evacuation drills for hospitals, schools and residential buildings. I would like to progress to participate in fire drill preparation for major fire disasters in industrial settings with petroleum units.
Is there a great professional achievement that you would like to tell us about?
Achieving my professional certification in Basic Fire Prevention and Life Safety Management from the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management was a professional highlight for me.
What pointed you towards an engineering career?
Becoming a fire engineer came from my desire to contribute my professional experience and knowledge surrounding fire prevention and protection towards advancing technology to mitigate fire incidents and save more people’s lives.
What contributed to your decision to gain IFE membership?
Once I achieved my Level 3 Diploma in Fire Science and Fire Safety with the IFE it was a natural progression for me to use my qualification to gain IFE membership.
How do you benefit from being a member with the IFE?
I use my post nominals GIFireE with my name and I enhance my knowledge with the IFE’s CPD programs. I enjoy reading digital copies of the International Fire Professional journal and I also use the mycareerpath® tool for recording and planning my CPD.