Three-day emergency response teams contest begins

LAHORE:The third national challenge for Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) volunteers started on Monday at Emergency Services Academy in order to improve professional emergency response capacity of CERTs and develop resilient communities in Punjab.

This unique activity was first time started in 2017 upon directions of Founder Director General Punjab Emergency Service to improve operational capacity, disaster emergency response skills and coordination amongst teams at local level.

Total 39 teams from all over Pakistan will participate in the challenge. Ms Deeba Shahnaz, Head Community Safety and Information, said total 39 teams from all over Pakistan are participating in a three-day challenge, where senior officers of Rescue Headquarters & Emergency Services Academy will assess, analyse and evaluate Community Action for Disaster Response (CADRE) skills of all participating teams under the supervision of Exercise Controller Muhammad Ahsan. She informed the participants the Community Emergency Response Teams from Lahore, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Jhang, Nankana Sahib, Sialkot, Okara, Chiniot, Sahiwal, Narowal, Hafizabad, TT Singh, Kasur, Sialkot Warden, University of Lahore and Agha Khan Agency for Humanitarian (AGAH) have been participating on first day whereas team of remaining districts of Punjab will participate on second and third day of the respectively.

Deeba said the volunteer teams will be given different scenarios including Management of Mass Causality Incident (MCI), Light Search and Rescue, Basic Life Support and First Aid, Response to Fire and Water Emergencies.

It is pertinent to mention that all districts of Punjab were given one month task prior to organise inter union council competition of volunteer teams and select the best Union Council Community Team for representation of the district in National CERTs Challenge 2019. It is quite encouraging that the winner community volunteer teams of inter union council competition participated in the national event with complete turnout and district flag assigned to the districts and female participation is highly encouraging. The competition would close on December 4.