Emergency preparedness: Policy prepared for induction of Rescue cadets

DG Rescue 1122 said the process of setting up all nine teams would be completed by the end of 2018

LAHORE:  

Rescue 1122 Director General Arshad Zia said on Saturday that a policy framework had been finalised for induction of cadets into newly-formed Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams at divisional headquarters level.

He said the provincial government had decided to set up these teams for all nine divisional headquarters of the province. He said training was already under way for Rawalpindi and Lahore teams. He said the process of setting up all nine teams would be completed by the end of 2018.

During a visit to the Emergency Services Academy on Saturday, he held a meeting with Academy Director General Brig(r) Amir Hamza, Registrar Muhammad Farhan Khalid, Regional Emergency Officer Mian Riffat Zia and Rescue 1122 Head of Operations Ayaz Aslam.

Addressing the cadets receiving training at the academy, Zia said the need for establishment of USAR teams equipped with latest equipment and skills had been felt after the country was hit by several severe weather events, floods and other natural disasters in the last decade.

He said a committee had been formed to identify and standardise the specifications for machinery and equipment required by the USAR teams. The committee comprised officials from Pakistan Army, the Capital Development Authority, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the Home Department and the Rescue 1122.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2016.