Disaster awareness day: Rescuers march through Pindi

Rescue 1122 commemorated National Disaster Awareness Day to remember the October 8 earthquake in 2005

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) on Sunday commemorated National Disaster Awareness Day to remember the October 8, 2005, earthquake in the northern areas of the country. The 1122 organised an awareness event at the Central Rescue Station followed by an awareness walk.

Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Dr Abdur Rahman said it was important for a nation to commemorate the tragic disaster and to share the lessons learnt from the unfortunate incident to better plan for the future. “Pakistan has an effective emergency management system..but it is the need of the hour to promote volunteerism and to connect with such an effective system to strengthen the disaster management network in the country,” he said.

Apart from commemorating the day, the disaster and rescue services observed ‘Disaster Awareness Week’ from October 2 to October 8 with the theme of “Tayyar Pakistan”. It included different awareness activities including seminars, walks and a photo exhibition at the Central Rescue Station.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2017.