Arrangements for Saarc states’ workshop reviewed

LAHORE: Punjab Emergency Service/Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer reviewed the arrangements for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries’ workshop here in Pakistan.

The Punjab Emergency Service will host the SAARC workshop from Feb 20 to Feb 22 at the Emergency Services Headquarters, Lahore. The delegates from the emergency services and disaster response authorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives have been invited to the workshop.

Dr Rizwan Naseer, presiding over a meeting on Friday, said that the main purpose of holding the workshop was to improve coordination and ensure uniform standards of emergency services in the SAARC countries. The workshop would cover different topics, including Emergency Management System in each SAARC county, Emergency Services Reforms in Pakistan, Emergency Services Legislation, Integrated Model of Emergency Services, Recruitment Process for Emergency Services, Training Standards of Emergency Professionals, Quality Management Systems, Trauma Registry Programme, Role in Disaster Management & Disaster Response Force, Community Safety Program and other related topics will be discussed in this workshop, which will be followed by holding SAARC Rescue Challenge to exhibit level of preparedness, response and prevention here in Pakistan.

Rescue Punjab DG Dr. Rizwan Naseer said that the first SAARC Rescue Challenge would exhibit the commonly faced challenges, including Trauma Challenge, Fire-Fit Challenge, Water Rescue Challenge, Swimming Challenge, Deep Well Rescue Challenge and Height Rescue Challenge. He said that in order to improve coordination and ensure uniform standards of emergency services in the SAARC countries, the SAARC Rescue Challenge would also help in capacity building and skill enhancement of emergency services in the region.

The meeting was attended by Dr Foaad Shahzad Mirza, deputy director (HR), Dr Muhammad Farhan Khalid, registrar academy/ team leader, Disaster Response Force, and others.