Goa soon to have women firefighters

Recruitment rules for inducting women in the services are being finalised and norms are likely to be in place by April, Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava told reporters today.
"We expect the rules to be in place by April 14, 2011," he said in the presence of Home Minister Ravi Naik during the annual inspection day parade of Fire and Emergency Services Department here.

All the 13 fire stations in the state will have women firefighters, he said. The top bureaucrat said the department has already submitted a proposal on women's induction.
"The proposal will go to the Personnel Department from where it will be referred to the Law Department," he said.

Naik said induction of women in the force is crucial as "male firefighters might attract accusations of molestation during rescue operations."