New Humanitarian Initiatives
Year 2021 remained a historic year as Punjab Emergency Service Amendment Act 2021 was promulgated to provide long awaited service structure to the employees of the Service.
Emergency Service has been given the status of administrative department and Director General has been empowered with the powers of the Secretary of the department to ensure smooth functioning of the emergency services.
258 new emergency ambulances after 2015, expansion of emergency services to all remaining 86 Tehsils of Punjab with new stations, ambulances and staff and expansion of Motorbike Rescue Service with 1350 motorbikes to remaining 27 districts of Punjab for providing emergency care at doorstep with 50 Rescue motorbikes per district have been approved.
Now distribution of ambulances, inauguration of Service in remaining tehsils is underway. Keeping in view the expansion and maintain the standards of the lifesaving service, Rescue 1122 Mobile Application has also been launched to improve emergency response.
This app would definitely be helpful as caller in emergency would have direct access of rescuers available nearest to caller area.
The project of Rescue Cadet Corps (RCC) was approved to make youth socially responsible and to have first aider in every home.
Another project for establishment of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) at Union Council level to assist the Service in management of emergencies and safety promotion was approved. Both projects are related to train and engage youth/volunteers to promote safety culture in their respective communities.
It is also a great honor for Pakistan that the Search and Rescue Team of Emergency Services Academy has become the first United Nations INSARAG Certified Team in South Asia.
Now Government of the Punjab is in process to start Air Rescue Ambulance for emergency response in far flung areas with ten Gyrocopter Ambulances first time in South Asia.
Another historic initiative of last year was Community Safety Act 2021 to ensure community safety measures in buildings, health and fitness centers. Under the Act, occupied floor more than 50 feet above its lowest level and health club services or facilities must ensure safety provisions to keep the building functional.
The District Emergency Officers of Punjab Emergency Service shall ensure inspection of the building, issuance of safety measure certificate or seal the building in case of safety violation in their respective districts. Furthermore, appeal against any order passed under this act shall lie to the Director General within 30 days whose decision shall be final.
Last year two female Rescuers of the Service including Ms Deeba Shahnaz being the first female member of UN INSARAG certified Team in South Asia and Ms. Shazia Perveen first female Lead Fire Rescuer of Pakistan have been honored by ISPR with Pride of Pakistan, whereas Ms Deeba has also been presented with Governor Award for her professional achievements and community services.
Indeed the leading Emergency Service of South Asia Rescue 1122 is an integrated system of emergency ambulance, fire & rescue, disaster emergency response force and community emergency response teams.
The emergency service has rescued over 10 million victims of emergencies, saved losses worth over Rs. 530 billion by timely emergency response and professional fire-fighting in over 177000 fire incidents, Motorbike Ambulance Service provided rescue to over 9,17,000 emergencies with an average response time of 4 minutes and provided Patient Transfer Services to over 10,20,000 critical patients for advance health care facilities across Punjab.
Rescue Service being first response agency to all emergencies also took emergency steps to meet the COVID-19 Challenge.
Resultantly, over 22900 suspected corona patients were shifted to hospitals, quarantine & isolation centers, dignified burials to over 4291 corona deceased, established expo triage center and facilitated 16900 patients, disinfection of 115993 public places, deployment of rescue paramedics in corona wards at different hospitals, distribution of 50,000 ration packs to deserving families etc.
The Emergency Services Academy established in Lahore is training Emergency Services of all provinces of Pakistan and hosts the first United Nations INSARAG Certified Search and Rescue Team in South Asia.
The Academy has so far provided technical assistance to other provinces of Pakistan and trained over 21,000 thousand emergency personnel across Pakistan.
The journey to serve humanity is still continued. May Allah give strength to all of us to maintain the standard of Service and serve humanity with same passion and achieve more international achievements?
