India's Firefighters Handle Snakes, Crocodiles, More Than Fires

When you picture a firefighter, you probably see someone battling flames. But in India, that image only tells a quarter of the story.

In Mumbai alone, fires accounted for less than 27% of emergency calls during one financial year. The remaining 73% was everything else families couldn't handle on their own.

That "everything else" ranges from wildlife rescues to locked doors. In Tamil Nadu, 63% of snake rescues are coordinated through fire stations, with some rescuers fielding more than four snake calls per day during monsoon season. Fire personnel have become some of India's most experienced handlers of cobras found behind appliances and in living rooms.

Then there are the crocodiles. In Vadodara, where the Vishwamitri river runs through the city, firefighters regularly respond to mugger crocodile sightings. One seven-foot crocodile in Firozabad decided a school toilet made a good resting spot. Another squeezed into a squat toilet in Gujarat. Each time, fire crews showed up and safely relocated the animals.

Between wildlife calls, there are people in need. At 3 am in Hyderabad, firefighters rescued two young brothers who had accidentally locked themselves in their bedroom. The parents had tried everything, but it was the fire station that finally broke open the lock with hydraulic cutters. The children were found sleeping peacefully inside.

In Pune, an 80-year-old woman fell ill behind a locked door. Fire personnel arrived quickly and got her to safety. These calls happen daily across India, from toddlers trapped in hot cars to elderly residents who stop responding.

The Ripple Effect

Tamil Nadu fire stations receive an average of 24 beehive removal calls per station each year. Firefighters also respond to lift breakdowns, baby monkeys tangled in barbed wire, and even swollen fingers stuck in rings.

For all of these emergencies, there's just one number: 101. There's no specialized wildlife hotline, no separate service for lockouts. Firefighters handle it all without complaint because they know who else will people call at 3 am when a child is locked inside a room or a cobra appears in the kitchen.

Mumbai's fire brigade responded to 12,815 emergency calls in one financial year, with only 3,484 involving actual fires. The rest were rescue operations that never make headlines but save lives and restore peace of mind every single day.

This International Firefighters' Day, the real story isn't just about putting out flames. It's about showing up for whatever comes next, whether that's a burning building or a crocodile in a toilet, and making sure everyone gets home safe.