6th National Rescue Challenge ends tomorrow

14 rescue teams from Punjab, G-B and KP take part in the event

LAHORE: In order to enhance professional skills and competencies to meet new challenges resulting from the increasing number of emergencies, the Sixth National Rescue Challenge kicked off at the Emergency Services Academy (Rescue 1122) on Monday.

Punjab Emergency Service Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer formally inaugurated the event. An International Mentor for the Disaster Response Force, Pakistan, Edward G Pearns and other senior officers were present on this occasion.



The event will end on Wednesday (tomorrow). A total 14 rescue teams from Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as well as rescue wardens from Sialkot and Lahore University of Management Sciences are participating in seven challenges. The competitions include trauma, fire fighting, water rescue, swimming, deep well rescue and height rescue challenges.

All of these are being evaluated in accordance with the international standards of emergency management. The contestants will have to effectively respond to difficult emergency scenarios.

Dr Naseer said such healthy competitions are necessary for improvement in professional skills of emergency services.

“We organised the First National Rescue Challenge in 2011 and now it is a historic moment that we are hosting the sixth edition. Next year, we shall hold an International Rescue Challenge,” he said. The DG hoped foreign rescue teams would also participate in the event.

He appreciated the teams and asked them to show the same spirit and passion while dealing with emergencies in their respective districts.



“We may be different geographically, but we have shared history. I am happy to see the development of emergency services in Pakistan within a span of 13 years,” said Pearns.

He said the Disaster Response Force (DRF) of Rescue 1122 has improved significantly and he hoped the same would be notified as an International Disaster Response Force very soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2017.