Rural Education and Economic Development Society (REEDS) Pakistan,with support from Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), has trained and equipped 300 students, teachers and support staff as first responders in 11 schools of Jalalpur Pirwala under the Flood Recovery and Resilience Project for District Multan,here on Sunday .
REEDS trains,equips 11 schools’ emergency response teams
MULTAN, Sep 13 (APP):Rural Education and Economic Development Society (REEDS) Pakistan,with support from Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), has trained and equipped 300 students, teachers and support staff as first responders in 11 schools of Jalalpur Pirwala under the Flood Recovery and Resilience Project for District Multan,here on Sunday .
The trained participants,comprising 170 males and 130 females, have formed School Emergency Response Teams (SERTs) to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience in flood-affected communities of the tehsil.
A kit distribution ceremony was held at Government Boys High School,Khan Bela,Jalalpur Pirwala,where eight SERTs from among 20 targeted flood-affected schools received emergency response kits.
REEDS officials said informed and organized communities were better equipped to cope with disasters. Under the school-based disaster risk management component of the project, the organization engaged students, teachers and support staff in identifying local hazards and provided training in first aid,search and rescue,fire safety,safe evacuation and village-based disaster risk management planning.
They said SERT members were now familiar with local hazards and prepared to act as first responders during emergencies,describing their role as critical to strengthening resilience in flood-prone areas of Multan district.
Rescue 1122 officer Shahid, DKH Programme Manager Numan Khan,DKH Finance Manager Mohammad Zulfqar, Assistant Education Officer Jalalpur Pirwala Mohammad Ishaq and Headmaster Mohammad Ishtiaque Gujjar attended the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion,Numan Khan said that the SERT members were now equipped with the necessary skills and emergency equipment to help save the lives of fellow students and community members during emergencies.
Mohammad Ishaq appreciated REEDS Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen disaster resilience among communities vulnerable to flooding in the district.
REEDS representative Hyacinth Peter thanked the guests, donors and emergency response teams for their contribution to enhancing community safety during emergencies.
Hamza Shahid, Shakeel Ul Rehman, Nasim Jehan, Arfa Pervaiz and Ghulam Yasin were also present on the occasion.
