Mumbai firefighters to give up Raj-era uniform

With their heavy woollen tunics and shiny brass buttons, Mumbai’s firefighters would not look out of place tackling a blaze in Victorian London. Now the brigade is about to update its antiquated uniform for the first time in a century.

The current woollen outfits, which date back to the days of the Raj, will be replaced by new suits constructed from the same synthetic material that protects fighter pilots and Nasa space capsules from extreme heat and explosions.



“The uniform was basically 125 years old,” said P. S. Rahangdale, the divisional fire chief for South Mumbai. “A lot of progress has been made since then.”

Modern helmets with protective visors and in-built radios will replace the plumed current ones, which are made from compressed cork. The leather belts, gleaming brass buckles and shining epaulettes will finally be consigned to history.