‘Only 1.25% women serve in Punjab rescue service’
Four females head the Community Safety, Examinations and Social Welfare depts
LAHORE:
Female rescuers, though few in number, that is 150 out of a force of 12,000 are working along with male rescuers in Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) performing almost all the tasks from fire-fighting to dealing with medical emergencies and heading field formation and technical tasks.
This was said by Deeba Shahnaz Akhtar, Head of Information and Safety Wing of Rescue 1122 while talking to The Express Tribune on March 8, the International Day of Women.
She said emergency response begins when the crew is dispatched to deal with the situation. They had female rescuers deputed as Computer Telephone Wireless Operators (CTW).
“These rescuers were deputed at this first line of emergency and there were other rescuers who responded to medical emergencies, building collapses, bomb blasts and other emergency situations.
“I, too, have worked for developing the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). For the volunteering programs, I visited the districts and villages for monitoring, evaluation and training purposes,” she added.
Akhtar is the only female member out of the 90 members of the Pakistan Rescue Team, the first team in South Asia to be certified from the United Nations (UN) International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).
She revealed that the team was awarded certification from foreign evaluators after thorough field evaluations.
The information lead said the field has ‘many other prominent female rescuers’ who have their unique and prominent roles in the service.
Shazia Khan, the first female firefighter of Pakistan, hails from a small town in District Vehari. She joined the service in 2010 and chose firefighting as her profession.
Vehari is a small district where fire emergencies were very rare. Considering her specialty, Khan was transferred to the academy to impart firefighting training to female firefighters.
She in her message said that females can also work alongside men in the society.
Sumera Liaqat, a psychologist who joined the service in 2007, currently serves as the Social Welfare Officer for the department.
The emergency service has also had a female heading a district as the District Emergency Officer (DEO). She was the only DEO in the province of Punjab.
Moreover, Ruqiya Bano Javed holds the privilege of serving as the first female officer of Punjab Emergency Service. She joined the emergency service back in 2004.
Javed said, “They (female) can contribute in making Pakistan safe with their spirit and commitment.”
Since the launch of the Punjab Emergency Service as a pilot project in 2004, the presence of only 150 females in the department was not an encouraging number at all. She said it was a challenging job.
“Although females are few in numbers, they still came forward after fulfilling the criteria and all prerequisites.”
“Rescue services give equal opportunity to both males and females,” she added.
“It’s all about merit; whoever meets the criteria can join the force. Rescue service encourages females to fulfill the criteria and serve in this humanitarian organization.”
The celebrated first female officer of the service said the administration believes in women empowerment, adding that four main departments: Information, Community Safety, Examinations and Social Welfare at Headquarters and Academy are headed by female officers and a woman DEO is also leading a district.
Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer said, “On International Women’s Day, I would like to appreciate all females who are working shoulder to shoulder with men for the development of the country.”
“We respect them and they have equal right to live and exercise their powers as per the constitution of Pakistan,” he assured.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2020.
Female rescuers, though few in number, that is 150 out of a force of 12,000 are working along with male rescuers in Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) performing almost all the tasks from fire-fighting to dealing with medical emergencies and heading field formation and technical tasks.
This was said by Deeba Shahnaz Akhtar, Head of Information and Safety Wing of Rescue 1122 while talking to The Express Tribune on March 8, the International Day of Women.
She said emergency response begins when the crew is dispatched to deal with the situation. They had female rescuers deputed as Computer Telephone Wireless Operators (CTW).
“These rescuers were deputed at this first line of emergency and there were other rescuers who responded to medical emergencies, building collapses, bomb blasts and other emergency situations.
“I, too, have worked for developing the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). For the volunteering programs, I visited the districts and villages for monitoring, evaluation and training purposes,” she added.
Akhtar is the only female member out of the 90 members of the Pakistan Rescue Team, the first team in South Asia to be certified from the United Nations (UN) International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).
She revealed that the team was awarded certification from foreign evaluators after thorough field evaluations.
The information lead said the field has ‘many other prominent female rescuers’ who have their unique and prominent roles in the service.
Shazia Khan, the first female firefighter of Pakistan, hails from a small town in District Vehari. She joined the service in 2010 and chose firefighting as her profession.
Vehari is a small district where fire emergencies were very rare. Considering her specialty, Khan was transferred to the academy to impart firefighting training to female firefighters.
She in her message said that females can also work alongside men in the society.
Sumera Liaqat, a psychologist who joined the service in 2007, currently serves as the Social Welfare Officer for the department.
The emergency service has also had a female heading a district as the District Emergency Officer (DEO). She was the only DEO in the province of Punjab.
Moreover, Ruqiya Bano Javed holds the privilege of serving as the first female officer of Punjab Emergency Service. She joined the emergency service back in 2004.
Javed said, “They (female) can contribute in making Pakistan safe with their spirit and commitment.”
Since the launch of the Punjab Emergency Service as a pilot project in 2004, the presence of only 150 females in the department was not an encouraging number at all. She said it was a challenging job.
“Although females are few in numbers, they still came forward after fulfilling the criteria and all prerequisites.”
“Rescue services give equal opportunity to both males and females,” she added.
“It’s all about merit; whoever meets the criteria can join the force. Rescue service encourages females to fulfill the criteria and serve in this humanitarian organization.”
The celebrated first female officer of the service said the administration believes in women empowerment, adding that four main departments: Information, Community Safety, Examinations and Social Welfare at Headquarters and Academy are headed by female officers and a woman DEO is also leading a district.
Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer said, “On International Women’s Day, I would like to appreciate all females who are working shoulder to shoulder with men for the development of the country.”
“We respect them and they have equal right to live and exercise their powers as per the constitution of Pakistan,” he assured.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2020.