The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh in collaboration with Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has started a series of training sessions on heat-related emergencies for the officials of concerned line departments of Sindh and civil society representatives in view of warnings of severe weather conditions, especially heat waves.
The training sessions are planned to be held from April 18 to 29, 2022, at the Red Crescent Training Institute, Clifton here, said a statement on Monday. Addressing the participants at the inaugural ceremony, Provincial Secretary, Pakistan Red Crescent Sindh Branch Kanwar Waseem said that we all face natural calamities yearly due to climate change. The Provincial Secretary also lauded the efforts of PDMA-Sindh in bringing together more than 85 participants from Health and Revenue departments, nominated by all the DCs heading DDMAs in Karachi on the first day of the orientation session.
“Awareness about heat-related emergencies is very important for us in the days to come so that, when participants learn first aid knowledge skills and techniques, they can save their own lives and the lives of others,” he added. On behalf of the Director General, PDMA Sindh, Imdad Hussain Siddiqui, Deputy Director (Ops) PDMA Sindh greeted and thanked the government officials who participated. He also expressed gratitude to the PRCS and appreciated the trainers’ professionalism and expertise. He emphasized the value of hands-on learning with PRCS trainers during his speech. He went on to say that adolescents should be targeted for these kind of trainings as well.
He added that a similar orientation event for officials and civil society representatives in Sindh’s interior is also being planned by the PDMA Sindh. He shared that the PDMA Sindh would also organize ToT in this context for key stakeholders and line departments.
Training Coordinator, Pakistan Red Crescent-Sindh Dr. Rizwana Wasif in her remarks stated that all participants actively participated in the session, which covered all heat related emergencies like heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, fainting, fits unconsciousness, emergency resuscitation and how to transport a person in ambulance or in a heatstroke vehicle.
She added that Pakistan Red Crescent-Sindh, in collaboration with PDMA, will hold more sessions in the coming days for KMC officials, traffic police, medical and paramedical staff, and representatives of various welfare and civil society organizations, such as, Edhi, Chippa, Sindh Boy Scouts Association, Pakistan Girl Guides Association Sindh Chapter, and others, which will have a significant impact and benefit on the general public during heat wave days.
