Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) is working for changing mindset of the public to establish socially responsible; healthy, safer and more resilient communities in Punjab through Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). Director General, Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) Dr Rizwan Naseer said this while addressing the closing ceremony of CBDR Programme participated by all Rescue & Safety Officers (RSOs) in Punjab, here on Friday.
The CBDRM course was organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Rescue 1122 for capacity building of the RSOs for implementation of this program in all districts of Punjab.
Dr Rizwan Naseer added that an integrated emergency services infrastructure essential for saving lives and providing the citizens with the right to timely emergency response and care without any discrimination.
He said Rescue 1122 had rescued over three million emergency victims in all 36 districts of Punjab and now implementation of CBDRM had been started in collaboration with NDMA for prevention of emergencies.
The NDMA representatives including Brigadier Sajid Naeem (retd), Capt Asif Iqbal (retd) and NDMA Trainer Waseem Ahmed supervised the weeklong course whose aim was to reduce vulnerabilities and to strengthen people's capacity to cope with the disaster risks, they face in respective areas.
While addressing the ceremony, Dr Rizwan Naseer said Rescue 1122 in collaboration with NDMA had planned to implement that programme on grassroot level for establishment of safe; healthy and resilient societies in Punjab.
He said 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 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 participants had 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.