Youth trained in life-saving skills at 7-day Yuva Aapda Mitra Camp in Hoshiarpur

An intensive Yuva Apda Mitra Training Camp was held at the Food Craft Institute, Hoshiarpur, where 250 NSS volunteers were informed about essential skills for disaster management.

Over the seven-day programme, a team of expert trainers from the MGSIPA, Red Cross Society, and the Fire Department provided multi-dimensional training aimed at preparing the youth to respond effectively during emergencies.

The training was organised as a part of the upscaled Apda Mitra Scheme, being run across various districts of Punjab through the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA).

The inaugural day of the camp was marked by an orientation session conducted by Course Director Colonel Dalbir Singh and Course Coordinator Ankur Sharma, who supervised the registration of volunteers and introduced them to the fundamentals of disaster types, community-level preparedness, and early-warning awareness.

On the first day, Red Cross Society representative Sanjeevan Singh demonstrated a range of first-aid techniques. He explained how common household items could be used to dress wounds, protect injuries, and provide urgent care during emergencies.

Following this, MGSIPA trainers Shubham Verma, Saloni and Shaina Kaur apprised the volunteers of crucial water-crossing techniques for flooding incidents. They explained how temporary floatation devices and improvised rafts can be created using bottles, cots, bamboo sticks, banana stems and other easily-available materials.

In another module, trainers Sachin Sharma, Preeti Devi, and Course Coordinator Ankur Sharma taught volunteers how to prepare improvised stretchers using jackets, bedsheets and jute sacks.

On the second day, volunteers were briefed about crowd management, creating evacuation plans and the importance of emergency kits. Mock drills were conducted to help participants understand the steps required during a disaster.

The third day focused on earthquake preparedness. Trainer Sachin demonstrated the methods used to locate and rescue persons trapped under debris.

On the fourth day, rope-rescue training sessions were conducted by Sachin Sharma, who taught volunteers different knot-tying methods and rope techniques for climbing and descending from heights. Trainers Preeti Devi, Shanu and Shaina Kaur explained heat-wave and cold-wave safety precautions. Course Coordinator Ankur Sharma also demonstrated how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Fire-safety training was also a major highlight of the camp. SFO Arun Kumar trained volunteers on operating fire extinguishers of different categories and using water jets from fire tenders.

Another critical session, conducted by instructors Sachin Sharma, Shaina and Saloni, focused on first aid for snake and dog bites. Volunteers were told about the do’s and don’ts crucial for saving lives during the early stages of such incidents.

In an awareness session on thunderstorms and lightning, instructors Ayush Sharma, Preeti Devi, Shanu and Shubham Verma educated volunteers about the causes of lightning and necessary precautions to avoid injuries. They were informed about safe shelters and emergency steps needed for when lightning strikes.

Throughout the training programme, volunteers displayed remarkable eagerness to learn.