RESCUE 1122 TO IMPLEMENT CBDRM PROGRAMS IN ALL DISTRICTS OF PUNJAB

Lahore: The Director General, Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) Dr. Rizwan Naseer said on closing ceremony of CBDR Program that after establishing an integrated emergency services infrastructure essential for saving lives & providing the citizens with the right to timely emergency response and care without any discrimination, Rescue 1122 is now working for changing minds of the public to establish socially responsible; healthy, safer and more resilient communities in Punjab through Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). He said that Rescue 1122 has rescued over 3 million emergency victims in all 36 Districts of Punjab and now implementation of CBDRM has been started in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for prevention of emergencies. The NDMA representatives including Brig. Sajid Naeem (retired); Capt. Asif Iqbal (r) and NDMA Trainer Waseem Ahmed supervised the weeklong course, which was participated by all Rescue & Safety Officers (RSOs) in Punjab.

The CBDRM course was organized by the NDMA and Rescue 1122 for capacity building of the Rescue & Safety Officer for implementation of this program in all districts of Punjab. The aim of CBDRM program was to reduce vulnerabilities and to strengthen people’s capacity to cope with the disaster risks, they face in respective areas. The direct involvement of the community members in undertaking local level risk reduction measures is integral for establishment of safer communities across the Punjab. The objectives of the training were to initiate; formalize, and develop Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), initiation to develop Disaster Response Teams in the near future, make available trained human resources during disasters across the province, introduce the concept and share the experience among the participants, and plan out the future capacity building training events for CERTs teams.

While addressing the concluding ceremony of the CBDRM Course, DG Rescue Punjab Dr Rizwan Naseer said that Rescue 1122 in collaboration with NDMA has planned to implement this program on grass-root level for establishment of safe; healthy and resilient societies in Punjab. He said that the training comprehensively deals with the sub themes, fundaments of disaster management and magnitude of disaster, first aid in emergency and manual transportation with demonstration, fire (nature, properties, types, fire accidents and prevention and fire extinguishers) with mock drill. He further said that CERTs members would focus on community watch during peace timing and shall work together with rescuers in case of untoward incident in their areas. Dr. Rizwan Naseer further said that the participants have learnt about emergency assessment planning, relief management, emergency shelter, beneficiary selection and relief distribution (sphere standards), family news service and dead body care, public health in emergency, communicable diseases, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion in emergency, community based disaster risk reduction, cyclone and disaster risk mitigation and school disaster management, psychological first aid and psycho-social aspects in disaster management (rehabilitation, plan of action and challenges.