National challenge: Rescuers compete in trauma simulations
Competitions included trauma-handling, deep well rescue and swimming.
A rescuer “evacuates” his colleague from a “bomb site” in an exercise on Friday. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS
The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue-1122) on Friday organised several competitions in trauma-handling, deep well rescue and swimming as part of the fourth National Rescue Challenge.
Participants from Sialkot Community Emergency Response Team, Mirpur Water Rescue Team, Gulab Devi Hospital’s Emergency Response Team and Rescue 1122 divisional teams demonstrated their professional skills at the Emergency Services Academy.
In a trauma scenario, each team comprising two emergency medical technicians (EMTs), a light transport vehicle, a driver and necessary medical equipments were “called” to the scene to provide first aid to the “victims.”
Rescue DG Rizwan Naseer watched the competition and encouraged the participants.
Talking to newsmen on the occasion, he said the competition aimed to enhance professional skills of the rescuers and to raise awareness of their role in the society.
He praised the teams for their spirit of competition and commitment to professional excellence.
The trauma exercise showed media personnel covering the scene, police force controlling the law and order situation and members of the victims’ families becoming hurdles to shifting the injured to hospital.
In the deep well challenge, a dummy body was placed inside a well and rescuers were asked to rescue the “man” stuck inside.
A framed was assembled on the well and a trained rescuer in a safety suit descended and fished it out.
In the swimming competition, swimmers from 12 districts of the Punjab demonstrated their skills.
Saturday (today) is the final day of the rescue challenge.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2013.