Archive · 28 Jan 2026
J-K Fire Services Faces 41% Staff Shortage
The fire department in Jammu and Kashmir has a big problem.
They don't have enough people working for them.
Right now, they have 2,149 workers, but they need 3,639.
That means almost half of the jobs are empty.
This is a big deal because they have to handle a lot of fires.
In the last ten years, there were 3,490 big fires and 48,869 small ones.
The most fires happened in Jammu.
The department also had to fire 103 workers because they were hired in a bad way five years ago.
This makes it hard for them to help people when there are emergencies.
Jammu and Kashmir Fire and Emergency Services has a 41% staff shortage with 1,490 vacant posts out of 3,639 sanctioned positions.
103 employees were terminated on December 15, 2025, due to irregularities in their 2020 recruitment.
The department has faced 3,490 major and 48,869 minor fire incidents between 2015 and 2025.
Jammu has the highest number of both major (637) and minor (12,276) fire incidents in the last decade.
Critical positions, including firemen, drivers, and supervisory roles, are significantly understaffed, impacting emergency response capabilities.
- Who
- Jammu and Kashmir Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services
- What
- Staff shortage of 41% with 1,490 vacant posts
- When
- Current situation, with 103 employees terminated on December 15, 2025
- Where
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Why
- Irregularities in 2020 recruitment process and overall manpower shortage
- Current Personnel
- 2,149
- Vacant Posts
- 1,490
- Sanctioned Strength
- 3,639
- Terminated Employees
- 103
- Major Fire Incidents (2015-2025)
- 3,490
- Minor Fire Incidents (2015-2025)
- 48,869
- Highest Major Incidents
- Jammu (637)
- Highest Minor Incidents
- Jammu (12,276)