Emergency: ‘Disaster Response Force being set up in Lahore’

LAHORE:

A Disaster Response Force is being set up at the Emergency Services Academy, Punjab Emergency Services and Emergency Services Academy Director General Rizwan Naseer said on Monday.

He was speaking to a delegation from the Balochistan government during its visit to the academy.

He said the force was being set up in line with the guidelines of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group. “Rescue 1122 has been expanded in all 36 districts of the Punjab and tehsils owing to its good performance,” he said.  The delegation had visited the academy in order to replicate the Rescue 1122 Emergency Management System in Balochistan.

The visiting team discussed matters related to recruitment, training, operation, monitoring and evaluation and accountability systems.

The delegation consisted of Provincial Disaster Management Authority Director Attaullah Mengal, Deputy Director (Planning) Muhammad Asghar, Deputy Director Muhammad Ishaq and Community-based Disaster Risk Management expert Beebarg Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2015.