Mysuru: The Fire Services personnel who are expected to rescue people at a time of natural disasters is horribly short of rescue equipment.

There are four fire stations in the city that have 16 vehicles. In addition, 12 vehicles have been summoned from other districts as Mysuru is celebrating Dasara.

“We have 40 personnel each at Bannimantap, Saraswathipuram, Hebbal and RBI fire stations. We have only two air boats and we borrowed another boat from a private party. We have so far rescued 60 people from Srirampura and our people have gone on rescue mission to Hootagalli, Gonikere near Silent Shores Hotel, Srirampura, Kuvempunagar, and Hanumanthanagar and near Lido Theatre,” said District Fire Officer Gururaj.

Apart from the existing equipment, the department needs four boats, high-pressure pumps to drain out water, sucking and jetting machines and expert divers, he added.