1st batch of Balochistan’s rescuers passes out

The first batch of rescuers from Balochistan passed out after a six-month intensive training programme at the Emergency Services Academy on Tuesday.

The ceremony involved firefighting, rescue, emergency medical care, rescue from height, deep well rescue and other emergency management demonstrations by the graduating rescuers.

During his welcome address, Punjab Emergency Service Director General Dr Arshad Zia congratulated rescuers and the government of Balochistan on this initiative, which, he said, would ensure timely emergency care to the victims of emergencies without any discrimination.

He appreciated the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for his efforts in providing technical assistance for replication of this emergency service earlier in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and now in Balochistan.

“Chief minister was the first top government functionary, who dispatched Rescue 1122 special teams to KP to assist their brethren in their hour of need during the recent earthquake,” he said.

He said Rescue 1122 had rescued over 3.8 million emergency victims, responded to over 70,000 fire incidents and created a sense of safety among citizens of Punjab over the last 11 years.

He said that over 10,000 emergency personnel had received professional training from Emergency Services Academy. He hoped the rescuers in Balochistan would maintain the same standard of services delivery in that province.

Citing the performance by Rescue 1122 at Sundar Industrial Estate factory collapse, Additional Secretary Home Asadullah Faiz said that Rescue 1122 had done a commendable job.

He said the Punjab government was always ready to assist other provinces in the form of technical assistance, training and other logistic support.

Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA0) Director General Tahir Munir thanked the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, DG Rescue Punjab Dr Arshad Zia as well as the people of Punjab for this kind gesture of brotherhood in providing technical assistance to replicate this international-standard emergency service in Balochistan.