7000 Rescuers shall be on duty during Ashura: DG Rescue Punjab

Lahore: The Director General, Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122), Dr. Rizwan Naseer has asked all the District Emergency Officers (DEOs) to ensure preparedness for Muharram-ul-Harram, 2014 in accordance with the directions issued by the Home Department. The Director General has also directed all the DEOs to ensure implementation of Code Red on 9^th & 10^th of Muharram, and the leaves of the rescuers have also been cancelled all over the Punjab. In this regard, the Districts have been issued a checklist of preparedness & submission of emergency plans; hold meetings of District Emergency Boards with District Administrations, meetings with key focal persons of Shia Sect/ Majalis, training of Imamia Scouts/ volunteers, and mapping of all licensed & traditional majalis and processions.

DG Rescue Punjab Dr. Rizwan Naseer chaired a meeting at Rescue 1122 Headquarters; attended by the Director (Admin) Brig. Dr. Arshad Zia, DD (P&D) Faheem Qureshi, DD (HR) Dr. Fooad Shahzad Mirza, DD (Finance) Naeem Mukhtar and all other Provincial Monitoring Cell officers. The PMC briefed the Director General that 7000 emergency staff shall remain on duty during Ashura. The Districts have prepared emergency contingency plans in close coordination with district administrations and Imamia Scouts have been trained and close liaison has also been developed with focal persons of Shia Sect/ Majalis. The PMC said that Disaster Response Force along with logistic assistance shall remain on standby position to provide backup support to any district in case of untoward incident.

DG Rescue Punjab Dr. Rizwan Naseer said that in case of emergency during any mass gathering, most of the injuries or deaths take place due to stampede as a result of panic, therefore, each District Emergency Officer should review emergency plan of any mass public gathering to ensure timely & safe evacuation and proper management of emergencies. He also directed them to review site plan with special reference to available exits for any emergency, depending on the expected participation/turnout and to also check out adequacy of exits for emergency evacuation and verification that appropriate exits are available. The Director General further said that the District Emergency Officer shall be responsible to verify emergency arrangements prior to the start of the event.

According to the Lahore Emergency Plan, 29 Emergency Ambulances; 11 Fire Vehicles, 04 Rescue Vehicles, Water Rescue Teams and rescuers on different mobile posts have been deployed to provide emergency cover to all mourning processions. Moreover, additional rescue teams shall remain on stand-by position and could be called if needed in case of any untoward incident. According to the plan, all mobile posts and ambulances with medical kits will be moving along with the processions to provide mourners with immediate medical treatment. Emergency Officers including trained doctors shall supervise the arrangements on both sensitive days.