Pune: Devendra Prabhakar Potphode, the Chief Fire Officer of Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has been awarded with the prestigious President’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service. Earlier, Potphode had received the President's Medal in 2011 and has become the only officer from the state to have bagged this prestigious award twice in career.
The list of awardees was announced on the eve of Republic Day January 26, 2021. Apart from Potphode, Leading Fireman Rajaram Kalu Kedari from Fire Brigade department of Pune Municipal Corporation has been awarded with Fire Service Medal for Meritorious Service award. This award has also been awarded to two other fire officers from Maharashtra - Chief Fire Officer Sanjay Dadaji Pawar and Assistant Station Officer Dharmaraj Narayanrao Nakod.
Devendra Potphode:
Devendra Prabhakar Potphode has an illustrious career spanning over three decades. He is a gold medalist in Fire Engineering diploma course from National Fire Service College of Nagpur.
Potphode has served as the Chief Fire Officer of Pune city from 2006 to 2008 and is known to be a valiant officer. Potphode has visited and studied the fire systems implemented in various countries like US, Germany, Austria, Japan, France and England.
Potphode has also handled various responsibilities successfully like the Commonwealth Youth Games in which 71 countries had participated. The entire fire preventive system was taken care by Potphode and his team during this international event.
Potphode is currently investigating the recent fire incident that was reported at the Serum Institute of India in Manjari area near Hadapsar in Pune city.
Rajaram Kedari:
Rajaram Kedari joined the Pune Municipal Corporation's Fire Brigade department in 1987. He has been instrumental in various operations launched by the PMC Fire Brigade in the city during natural disasters and major fire incidents.
Kedari has displayed his leadership qualities in the rescue operation - jointly implemented with the help of forest officials- of a leopard which was trapped in a building at Mundhwa in February 2019.
Kedari was also part of the crucial rescue operation during the building collapse incident in Dhankawadi and Taljai Pathar. Kedari has successfully saved many lives by rescuing citizens trapped under the debris of the buildings.
