PASIGHAT, 6 Mar: A state level training of community volunteers on ‘disaster response for eastern zone’, being organized by the disaster management department in collaboration with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), was inaugurated by advisor to disaster management minister, Tanpho Wangnaw at the outdoor stadium here in East Siang district on Saturday.
Disaster Management Director Atul Tayeng informed that during the training, which will conclude on 17 April, the volunteers would be trained in basic skills of preventing, mitigating and responding to earthquakes, fire accidents, floods and flashfloods. He said the volunteers would also be trained in first aid.
Twenty volunteers from each assembly constituency – a total of 650 volunteers – will participate in the training for five days each during the period. Each batch will have nearly 120 volunteers during the 40-day training period.
“Your services will be sought by your respective district administration during any disaster situation,” Tayeng added.
Addressing the volunteers, Wangnaw said that the state government has initiated the training of community volunteers as they are the first responders of the community during the occurrence of any disaster.
He urged the volunteers to equip themselves with “all the skills in rescue, response and mitigation of disaster from the expert team of the SDRF.”
Later, Wangnaw inspected the flood- and erosion-prone Komlighat in Pasighat, and Sigar and Borguli in Mebo subdivision.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Kinny Singh also assured support from the district administration, and expressed hope that, after undergoing the training and expert guidance, the volunteers would have learnt all the skills to respond and cope with disaster situations.
Earlier, Fire Services & Emergency SP Sanjay Bhatia said that synergy among the SDRF, the NDRF, the disaster management department and the community volunteers, besides other stakeholders, would help in strengthening rescue and response in a disaster situation, particularly in remote areas, at the earliest.
He also referred to the role played by volunteers during the recent disaster in Uttarakhand, which helped save precious lives.
A rescue and response demonstration during an earthquake scenario was presented by the SDRF team. (DIPRO)
