Days after the tragic fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar claimed 21 lives, fire incidents continue to be a routine occurrence across the capital. With temperatures rising, the risk of air conditioner explosions, electrical fires, and blazes in densely populated neighbourhoods is also increasing. According to recent reports, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) has been responding to nearly 60 fire-related calls every single day this year.Behind each call is a team of firefighters waiting for the next siren. At Delhi’s Rani Jhansi Fire Station, Leading Fireman Manjeet Dalal begins his shift at 9:30 am that ends at 9:30 am the following day. “"Our shift starts at 9:30 am and goes on till 9:30 am of the next day," he said. "It's a 24-hour shift followed by 24 hours of rest." Leading Fireman Manjeet Dalal verifying details at a gas leak call.The beginning of the day is relatively routine. Attendance is marked and duties are assigned. Then comes the waiting. Inside the station’s Watch Room, an officer remains on duty around the clock, monitoring calls relayed from the fire headquarters. The moment an emergency is reported, a siren sounds across the station. Watch Room at Rani Jhansi Fire Station.10 Days On, Families Await DNA Mapping for Answers in Kolkata Warehouse FireMobile Radio inside the watchroom to recieve emergency calls.Firefighters have what officials call a “one-minute turnout”, the time within which they must leave the station after receiving a call. Whether they are eating, resting or filling out paperwork, firefighters have to drop everything the moment the siren sounds. Within seconds, personnel rush towards their assigned vehicles, put on their uniforms and leave the station. Sometimes they end up getting ready on their way to the emergency site . But firefighting is only one part of the job. DFS personnel also conduct rescue operations, respond to gas leaks, chemical spills and bomb threats, and provide civic and environmental support.Firemen leaving the fire station.Racing Against Uncertainty Most days, however, are defined by uncertainty. Around 1:30 pm on June 15, the station received a call reporting that a man was trapped inside a flat. A firefighter and driver immediately left for the location. After navigating traffic and attempting to access narrow lanes in Paharganj, they arrived only to discover that the call was based on second-hand information. Quick Response Vehicle stuck in the narrow lanes of PaharganjThe caller, who had reportedly seen a man trapped while driving past the area, was by then in Najafgarh and could not provide any useful information. The 'emergency' turned out to be a false alarm. Such calls, firefighters say, consume valuable time and resources.“When we are occupied with these calls, we may not be available for actual emergencies,” Dalal said.He further added that public frustration is often directed at firefighters, with people not fully understanding the demands of the job. "Hamara kaam hai logo ki jaan aur maal ko bachana, public naraaz hoti hai ki late aate hai lekin unhe nahi pata ki hum kahi apni duty hi kar rahe hote hai " (Our job is to protect people's lives and property, the public often gets angry and says we arrive late, but they don't realise that we are already carrying out our duties elsewhere when those calls come in.)A few hours later, at 4:07 pm, another call came in, this time reporting a building collapse in East Delhi’s Geeta Colony. Two firefighters and a driver rushed out. Traffic slowed their journey, and it took them half an hour to reach ITO. Before they could reach the site, however, they were informed that firefighters from a closer station had already arrived and their assistance was no longer required.Address and contact details of the emergencyFor much of a firefighter’s shift, emergencies remain uncertain until the crew reaches the scene. Yet some incidents leave lasting impressions.Recalling a fire that broke out near Shastri Park Metro Station on June 16, Station Officer Ravinder Singh described how the team knew the situation was serious even before they reached the site.“We were crossing the Azad Market flyover when we saw a large plume of smoke,” he said. A makeshift factory had caught fire. Adjacent to it stood a four-storey residential building, and flames had begun spreading towards the structure.By the time firefighters arrived, another fire tender had already begun operations. Singh’s team immediately joined the effort. Smoke was billowing from the residential building.Residential building next to the affected area in Shastri Park.Firefighters entered the first floor and began extinguishing the flames. The fire had already spread to the second floor through a balcony. Incidents like these demand quick decisions in hazardous conditions.Another recent call involved a residential building near Liberty Cinema in Karol Bagh. Firefighters discovered that a spark from an air-conditioner had ignited a fire on the second floor. Smoke rapidly spread through the house. Three firefighters entered the building while others laid out hose lines outside. Inside, they located the room where the fire had originated. A wooden bed and several household belongings had already been engulfed in flames. The fire was eventually brought under control, and no casualties were reported. As fire incidents increase, firefighters say the system itself is under strain. A Service Under StrainPersonnel at the Rani Jhansi Fire Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the station has five to six vehicles, including fire tenders and water bowsers, but staffing is not adequate. "In the last 25 years, the number of vehicles has increased, but not the number of personnel," one firefighter claimed. "There have been no promotions and no workload reduction."A fire tender is ideally staffed by six personnel- four fighters in the rear compartment, along with a driver and an in-charge in the front. But personnel shortages often mean fewer firefighters are available for deployment. According to DFS data, the service has a sanctioned strength of 3,633 posts. An RTI response accessed by News18 found that the Delhi Fire Service had 1,001 vacancies across ranks, including 523 vacant fireman posts, despite a sanctioned strength of 3,633 personnel. The shortage is particularly visible among station officers.According to Ravinder Singh, station officers are expected to work 72-hour shifts followed by just 24 hours of rest. They oversee administrative work, coordinate with the control room, command teams at emergency scenes and ensure overall preparedness within the station. "There should be around 150 officers," Singh said. "At present there are only around 20." The demands of the job extend beyond staffing shortages. Firefighters also spoke about the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) uniform designed to shield them from extreme temperatures. Personnel say the PPE kits currently in use are heavy and become significantly more cumbersome when wet. "The design was inspired by the UK, but it needs modification now," one firefighter said. During Delhi's summers, the weight and heat can quickly lead to exhaustion. Then there are the risks firefighters encounter once they enter a burning structure.Several personnel recalled incidents in which residents denied storing LPG cylinders inside buildings. Only after entering smoke-filled rooms did firefighters discover cylinders still present—a potentially deadly hazard if exposed to fire.Despite these risks, many firefighters say one of their biggest frustrations lies not at the fire scene but on the roads leading to it. People often complain that fire tenders arrive late, they said. Yet navigating Delhi's traffic remains one of the greatest obstacles to a timely response."There is so much traffic," a firefighter said. "Even after hearing the siren, many people don't give way."The Cost of the JobInside the station hangs a calendar carrying photographs of firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. Their images overlook the lobby where firefighters spend long hours waiting for the next call.According to DFS officials, 23 personnel have lost their lives in the line of duty between 1983 and 2026 so far. For the personnel at the station, the calendar serves as a reminder of the risks that accompany every emergency response. While many calls turn out to be minor incidents or false alarms, firefighters say they never know what awaits them when they leave the station.Calendar with the photos of Martyrs of Delhi Fire Service.Back at Rani Jhansi Fire Station,firefighters return from calls, complete paperwork and wait for the next siren. The photographs of fallen colleagues remain on the wall, a reminder of the risks that come with the uniform.For now, personnel say they will continue responding regardless of the challenges- staff shortages, long shifts, false alarms and traffic congestion. A siren can sound at any moment, sending firefighters rushing towards an emergency they know little about. It could be a major blaze, a rescue operation, a false alarm or something else entirely.For the men on duty, every shift unfolds the same way: long hours of anticipation interrupted by moments when they have just one minute to move.(Ifrah Asim is a freelance journalist and post graduate journalism student at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. She covers stories related to public policy, social issues, heritage and lived experiences. Edwin Minz is a professional photographer and videographer holding a Postgraduate Diploma in Still Photography from AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. He specialises in visual storytelling through both moving and still images.)