Over 1,100 employees, students and community members participate in fire safety awareness drives and training programmes
TFP Bureau, Korba, April 24,2026: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a leading aluminium producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, observed National Fire Service Week with a series of awareness and preparedness initiatives aimed at strengthening fire safety practices across its operations and surrounding communities.
Organised under the theme “Safe School, Safe Hospital and Fire Safety Aware Society,” the week-long campaign engaged more than 1,100 participants, including employees, business partners, school students and local residents. The initiative focused on enhancing awareness about fire safety, improving emergency preparedness and promoting proactive measures to prevent fire-related incidents.
A variety of activities were organised during the observance, including quizzes, drawing competitions and slogan writing contests to sensitise participants about the importance of fire safety. BALCO’s Fire and Safety team also conducted safety training sessions featuring live demonstrations of fire-fighting techniques and emergency response procedures. Street plays (Nukkad Nataks) were staged to spread awareness about fire hazards and safety precautions among employees and the local community.
The programme concluded with the felicitation of individuals and teams from various departments for their contributions towards strengthening fire safety practices within the plant. Representatives from neighbouring industries in Korba, including NTPC Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), also participated, reflecting a collaborative effort to enhance regional safety preparedness.
Rajesh Kumar, CEO and Director of BALCO, emphasised the importance of preparedness and collective responsibility in fire safety. “Fire safety requires constant vigilance and readiness. At BALCO, we are focused on building awareness, strengthening capabilities and establishing systems that enable quick and effective response. Our continuous engagement with employees and communities aims to create a resilient ecosystem where safety remains the top priority,” he said.
Assistant Commandant Shivendra Kumar of the CISF Fire Wing at NTPC Korba praised BALCO’s efforts, noting that the company’s fire safety team has consistently demonstrated professionalism and efficiency during emergencies. He also highlighted BALCO’s initiatives in training communities and schools, which contribute to building a safer and more prepared society.
During the last financial year, BALCO’s Fire and Safety team responded to more than 200 emergency situations and strengthened its response capacity by procuring a quick response vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, to ensure faster emergency intervention across operational areas.
The team also conducted fire safety training for more than 5,500 individuals on the use of fire extinguishers, CPR techniques and emergency response protocols. Over 100 mock drills were organised across the plant and surrounding areas to test preparedness for fire-related incidents.
Further enhancing its safety infrastructure, BALCO installed sprinkler systems at BALCO Hospital and deployed more than 400 multi-sensors and advanced fire alarm systems across operational zones to enable faster detection and response.
Recognising its consistent commitment to safety, BALCO’s Fire Department was recently conferred the Platinum Award for Excellence in Fire & Safety in the Metal and Power Division by Grow Care India for the financial year 2025-26. The award acknowledges the department’s outstanding performance in fire safety management and emergency preparedness.
