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Mamata Banerjee salutes firefighters on International Firefighters’ Day

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee greeted all firefighters on Thursday in a tweet honouring the heroes for risking their own lives in order to save the lives of others.

Mamata Banerjee salutes firefighters on International Firefighters’ Day

Mamata Banerjee (Photo: Twitter/@AITCofficial)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee greeted all firefighters on Thursday in a tweet honouring the heroes for risking their own lives in order to save the lives of others.

In a tweet posted from her official Twitter handle on the occasion of International Firefighters’ Day, the CM offered her “salute” to the firefighters.

“Today is International Firefighters’ Day. Firefighters are heroes who have often saved many lives risking their own. Our salute to those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty,” wrote the CM.

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West Bengal is often in the news for incidents of fire. One of the most horrific tragedies caused by fire in the old city is probably the AMRI hospital fire of 9 December 2011, which killed 95 people including staff of the hospital.

In 2017, the Government of India had honoured volunteer firefighter Bipin Ganatra of Kolkata with the Padma Shri – the nation’s third-highest civilian honour.

In April this year, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) appointed Kolkata girl Taniya Sanyal as its first ever woman firefighter.

International Firefighters’ Day is observed annually on 4 May since 1999 to remember the firefighters who fell in the line of duty. The day was constituted in memory of five firefighters who died battling a bushfire in Australia on 2 December 1998.

The date was set as 4 May because of its cultural and religious significance in most European countries, where it is held as the day of Saint Florian, patron saint of firefighters.

The day is marked with a red-and-blue intertwined ribbon. While the red stands for fire, the blue symbolises water.

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