A three-day training workshop on “Search, Rescue, First aid & Fire Fighting for Urban Community Volunteers” started at the Dewanhat Fire Service and Civil Defense Station, Chattogram on 8th February, 2022. The training workshop was organized by YPSA under Proyash II project, and supported by Save the Children. Trainers of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense are conducting the training workshop. A total of 50 volunteers from Ward 19 of Chattogram City Corporation enthusiastically attended the inauguration ceremony.
City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Shahidul Alam inaugurated the training. He said, geographically, as Chattogram is a disaster prone area besides fire service and civil defense in any disaster occurs in the city, the participation of the local people can ensure effective solutions to disaster mitigation and resource loss. In this case, the local people have no choice but to increase their disaster response skills. Urban Community Volunteers of Ward 7, 8 and 19 who received this training with the support of YPSA and Save the Children before have left tremendous success as first responder in the community and won National Award for the bravery, which is a remarkable success of forming and providing training to Urban Community Volunteers. He also emphasized on keeping unity during any disaster and work together for the solution. He asks everyone to work in awareness of wearing mask for COVID 19 prevention as a responsible volunteer of the city.
The inaugural function was presided over by Deputy Director (Acting) of Fire Service and Civil Defense Chattogram Division (Acting) Faruk Hossain Sikder and facilitated by Ware House Inspector Mohammad Shahadat Hossain. Esrarul Haque Esral, Councilor of Ward 4 attended the meeting as special guest. Nasim Banu, Deputy Director (Social Development) of YPSA delivered the welcome address at the beginning of the meeting. She appreciated the willingness of 50 present volunteers for taking such training where they will not get any payment while rescue or saving peoples’ life. She also ask to take training attentively, so that they can together fulfill their motivation for social work.
Newton Das, Deputy Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defense, gave directions on the training course at the inauguration ceremony. During the three days, the volunteers will receive theoretical and practical training on a variety of topics, including volunteerism, earthquake management, infrastructure construction and demolition types, search and site identification, rescue techniques and methods, emergency rescue methods, first aid and patient monitoring, firefighting and evacuation.
Mentionable that, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has prepared Urban Volunteer Management Guideline 2019, for the integrated management of volunteers considering the need and importance of volunteers in disaster management. In this context, YPSA and Save the Children are working in Chattogram to increase the capacity of the volunteers through training under Prayash II project. Till now urban Community Volunteers of Ward 7, 8, and 19 of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) have received the training and to see their dedication to work as first responder, City Mayor declared Urban Community Volunteers in other 37 Wards of CCC.
