120 trained in Una in disaster management

Una, January 31

Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma today said that 120 youth volunteers from the district had undergone a two-week training under the Friend in Disaster scheme at the Regional Water Sports Centre located in the Pong Dam reservoir of the Beas in Kangra district to render assistance to the community in case of a disaster.

Sharma, who is also the Chairman of the District Disaster Management Agency, said that the fifth batch of 40 volunteers would join the training course tomorrow while the sixth and final batch of 40 youths would be trained from February 15 to 28. He added that the volunteers were drawn from the National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, Home Guards and Nehru Yuva Kendras, besides from various panchayats.

He said that for training as a Friend in Disaster, the volunteer must be 18 to 35 years in age. He added that these volunteers were being trained in search and rescue operations, how to provide first aid to the victims of a disaster and how to assemble and use available tools and equipment for disaster damage mitigation.

Sharma said, “Youth, who are willing to be enlisted as Friends in Disaster, can call the District Disaster Management Agency on telephone numbers 01975-225045 or 01975-225046.”