Home Secretary Punjab inspects the expertise of Rescue 1122

Lahore: The Home Secretary, Punjab, Maj. (R) Azam Suleman khan flanked by Additional Secretary, Home, Assad Ullah Faiz visited Emergency Services Academy, ESA, (Rescue 1122) .

Director General, Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) Brig. (R) Dr. Arshad Zia & Director General, Emergency Services Academy, Brig. (R) Amir Hamza alonwith senior rescue officers welcomed the honourable guests & presented a detailed briefing about purpose, roles & responsibilities of the ESA.

After the briefing, the Home Secretary, Punjab inspected all training simulators including Lake for Water Rescue Training, Ten Storey Fire Tower, Burn House, Fire Fit Tower, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Lab, Swimming Pool for training of Self-Contained Under Water Breathing Apparatus Diving and Urban Search & Rescue Rubble Pad.

The purpose of this high profile visit was to inspect training facilities available with Emergency Services Academy to impart professional training & capacity building of emergency personnel of Punjab and other provinces.

While interacting with the under training cadets of Khyber Pakhtunkhaw & Punjab, Maj. (R) Azam Suleman said that under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, the Punjab is playing a role of big brother through providing free of cost professional training and technical assistance to Emergency Rescue Service of KPK for replication of this Emergency Management Model. He said that the Chief Minister Punjab has principally decided to enhance capacity of Punjab Emergency Service by approving the project of establishment of specialized Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Teams in all divisions of Punjab for which Pak Army is extending its technical assistance for capacity building of Punjab Emergency Service.

He, however, said that there was dire need for a modern training institute for emergency personnel. Keeping in view the said need, the Govt. of Punjab provided Rs. 1.5 Billion with which this state-of-the-art Emergency Services Academy has been established, which is playing the role of a National Centre of Excellence for imparting training to rescuers and capacity building of the rescue cadets not only from Punjab but from KPK, AJK, GB, Baluchistan and Sindh.

He reiterated that Rescue 1122 is one of the best departments of Punjab, which has gained respect in the eyes of public through performance based on professional training. Maj. (R) Azam Suleman further said that he was fully aware with the problems of rescuers and pledged to resolve them on priority basis.

Later, the Director General, Emergency Services Academy (Rescue 1122), Brig. (R) Amir Hamza said that on special directions of Chief Minister, Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, the Emergency Services Academy is providing free of cost training to 4^th batch of rescuers of KPK. He said that the Punjab Government is playing a pivotal role to create harmony and assist other provinces in capacity building in different sectors including emergency services.

He presented a shield to Home Secretary Punjab, Maj. (R) Azam Suleman and paid rich tribute for his dedication and special interest in capacity building of Punjab Emergency Service & facilitation to the Emergency Services Academy.