Focus Humanitarian Assistance Pakistan (FOCUS Pakistan) held an urban search and rescue orientation programme for the newly formed City District Government Karachi (CDGK) team, under the government's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) strategy.
With over a decade's experience the FOCUS Pakistan's search and rescue team (SART), is trained by teams of technical specialists from the United Kingdom, France and Switzerland. The FOCUS SART has responded to numerous local and national emergencies including the Kashmir earthquake in 2005. It has also conducted training programmes for other emergency organisations.
The Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mohammad Naeem Yousuf briefed the audience about the weeklong training and impact it has created in the capacity development of the CDGK rescue team.
The weeklong training included specialist modules on equipment handling, search and rescue strategies and techniques, base camp procedures, technical rope and safety management, casualty handling, food preparation, safety in dealing with structural collapse, risk assessments, victim evacuation, basic first aid and CPR.
A simulation exercise was undertaken by the participants at the end of the course, which was attended by senior officials from the district government, army, civil defence, the Edhi Foundation as well as police and community representatives.
Certificates were distributed to all the trainees for successfully completing the course. The Chairman, FOCUS, Amyn Dossa congratulated the participants, talked about spoke of FOCUS' core value of community capacity building and the benefit of such training in urban areas, promoting disaster preparedness in Karachi.
The chief guest, EDO Municipal Services, Karachi, Masood Alam acknowledged the newly acquired skills of trainees and the benefit of such skilled personnel within the city. Ahtasham-Ud-Din, Chief Fire Officer, Saleem, leaders of Aga Khan Development Network, representatives of media and leap frog solutions were also present in the event.-PR