Role of Rescue 1122 from disaster of 2005 to resilience

October 8 is a day of commemorating the catastrophic 2005 earthquake in northern areas of Pakistan which took over 87,000 human lives and uprooted 3.5 million people.

The country was at receiving end in all respect due to dismal state of rescue services. Although from 2005 earthquake till today, different disasters had huge effects on many human lives, infrastructures and economic condition but it also provided opportunity to prepare ourselves to cope up in better way. After disaster numerous steps have been taken to build back better in earthquake hit areas and at the same time, newly started Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) by than established the first Disaster Emergency Response Team in October 2006 and subsequently has been involved in the capacity building of its Search and Rescue Team as per international standards. Likewise, Emergency Services Academy started training of rescuers from all over the country to establish a comprehensive integrated emergency management system in all districts of Punjab and in other provinces.

Today Emergency Services Academy has trained over 20,000 emergency personnel for Punjab, KP, GB, Baluchistan and AJK. It also gives satisfaction that the provinces are replicating the integrated model of emergency service in their respective provinces to provide right to emergency care without any discrimination. It is also great honour for all citizens that Pakistan Rescue Team (PRT) of Emergency Services Academy Rescue 1122, Lahore has become the 1st United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (UN-INSARAG) classified Team in South Asia after completing an extensive evaluation process of several years under supervision of UN INSARAG Mentors for National and International disaster response as per international standards. Government through National Disaster Management, UNOCHA and Emergency Services Academy Classified Team striving to train more UN INSARAG classified teams in the country. Rescue 1122 has also initiated process to train light search and rescue teams from UN INSARAG.

Rescue Service has rescued over 9.8 million victims of different emergencies. The modern Fire Rescue Service responded over 170,000 fire incidents and saved losses worth over 510 billion. Motorbike Rescue Service responded over 800,000 emergencies with average response time of four minutes in 9 divisional headquarters of Punjab. Over 800,000 patients were shifted by Patient Transfer Service of Rescue 1122 from lower health facility to higher health facility.

During COVID-19 pandemic Rescue performed frontline role for shifting of over 21000 corona patients in quarantine centres and hospitals, carried out 4,000 corona burials in a dignified manner, assisted heath department for corona patients care in hospitals and provided support in distribution of Ration packs to 50,000 deserving families. Furthermore, Emergency Service has close liaison through Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) in all Union councils (UCs) of Punjab. These CERTs are being established in all UCs of Punjab to assist in management of emergencies and safety promotion. In order to educate youth on emergency response, first aid and safety promotion Rescue Cadet Corps are being trained in colleges and universities. The purpose of these cores is to have socially responsible youth and first aider in every home.

The Government of Pakistan has notified 8 October as National Disaster Resilience Day. The Emergency Service is observing this week with special focus on training of communities on Life Saving Skills and making them able to become lifesaver. Every year Emergency Services Academy organizes National Rescue Challenge in order to improve coordination, and ensure uniform standards of emergency services in the country.

This year, 10th National Rescue Challenge has been organised at Academy in Lahore from 6 to 8 October 2021 and all Emergency Services of Pakistan were invited to participate in the Rescue Challenge. The participating teams exhibited their professional skills in trauma challenge, fire-fit challenge, water rescue challenge, deep well rescue challenge, swimming challenge, and height rescue challenge.

— Deeba Shahnaz Akhter Head of Community Safety and Information, Rescue Punjab

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