LAHORE: An international emergency services organisation has opened its first office in Pakistan to enhance the capacity of Rescue 1122 in firefighting.

Asian Fire Service Association of the UK Chairman Mehrban Sadiq and Punjab Director General of Rescue 1122 Dr Rizwan Naseer jointly inaugurated the office at Emergency Services Academy on Saturday.

AFSA’s Secretary General Ms Yasmeen, Fire Instructor and Technical Expert Mr. Keith Trotter, Deputy Director (Training) Dr Farhan Khalid and others were also present on the occasion.

Rescue 1122 spokesman Jam Sajjad said efforts were being made to develop a liaison with international organisations. He said members of AFSA had travelled to Pakistan in 2013 to explore ways of working together with the fire service in Punjab.

He said AFSA officials started working on a project to support Rescue 1122 personnel to deliver training at all levels and to identify gaps on four key areas including fire prevention and protection, disaster management, fire investigation and fire fighting skills.

Mr. Sadiq said the AFSA office would enhance professional collaboration between Rescue 1122 and AFSA. He said AFSA would work as a helping hand in expediting international accreditation of Rescue 1122 in the field of emergency.

“The training curriculum of rescue cadets shall be revised and modified applying international standard,” he added.

Dr. Rizwan Naseer said the developing countries were lacking in capacity building of emergency services.

He said the AFSA office would enhance cooperation between all South Asian countries and the Rescue 1122 would be able to revise and review its training programmes in collaboration with the Asian Fire Service Association.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2015

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