ODISHA FIRE AND DISASTER RESPONSE ACADEMY (OFDRA), BHUBANESWAR

History

The provision of training for fire fighters in the state of Odisha started in the year 1943, when first Fireman recruitment was held for opening of Puri Fire Station. In 1943, after Fireman recruitment for Puri Fire Station, the training on fire fighting started in a rented accommodation owned by Sri Bardhaman Seth near Sunshine field, Cuttack. The present Sunshine filed of Cuttack was the first parade ground of fire fighters in the state. In 1944, the present accommodation of Cuttack Fire Station at Buxi Bazar was allotted to Odisha Fire Service and recruitment was held for opening of Balasore and Berhampur Fire Station. The training establishment of Odisha Fire Service was shifted from the rented accommodation of  to its present premises of Cuttack Fire Station in the year 1944. Mr. Hetch Blue, the then Deputy Fire Officer, Odisha Fire Service was in charge the training establishment of OFS and it may be appropriate to say that he was the first Principal of Odisha Fire Service training establishment. After independence in 1947, the British Fire Officers left the State and administration of Odisha Fire Service went into the hand of Odisha Police and the training of fire fighters was shifted from Cuttack to Police Training College (PTC), Angul

OFDRA

In 1972, the training of fire fighters shifted from PTC, Angul to Traffic Training School Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar and later shifted to the premises of Kalpana Fire Station in the year 1976. In 1977 the training establishment of Odisha Fire Service was shifted to the present accommodation at Baramudnda, Bhubaneswar under the nomenclature Odisha Fire Service Training Institute. In 2003, Govt. of India vide Notification No.VI-14022/1/SFAC-1/2003 DGCD (F) Dt.10th April 2003 declared OFSTI, Bhubaneswar  as Regional Training Centre ( RTC) of Govt. of India to conduct professional courses of training on fire fighting under sponsorship of NFSC, Nagpur but the NFSC sponsored  sub-officers’ course of training started at OFSTI, Bhubaneswar in the year 2009. Till date, total 601 sub-officers  have been  trained from this institute. In view of rapid expansion of Fire Service, the  Govt. of Odisha was pleased to up-grade the existing Odisha Fire Service Training Institute, Bhubaneswar to Odisha Fire and Disaster Response Academy, Bhubaneswar vide Govt. Resolution No.380/CD Dt.22.04.2015 and the same was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister,  Odisha on 19th April 2016. Till date, trainees of Fire Service, Civil Defence, Home Guards, Urban Police, Prasar Bharati, Manahanadi Coal Fields, INS Chilka, ODRAF, Odisha Forest Dept. have been trained here. Besides, the fire fighters from Manipur, Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh have been trained from this Academy. Till September 2020 more that 26,000 personnel have been trained from this Academy on fire fighting and disaster response.