From panic mode to war preparedness: Punjabis equip themselves with life-saving skills

Amid heightened tensions, the potential threat of war, and multiple drone and missile attacks launched from Pakistan, the past week saw Punjabis entering a state of full panic.

For the first time since the 1971 war, the country's border state was seemingly on the threshold of a full-scale conflict. Drills were conducted not only to train people but also to raise awareness of the looming threat and to prepare them psychologically for any eventuality.

Sirens, unheard for 54 years, had to be sounded almost every two to three hours at night whenever the IAF issued a warning to local administrations. Markets were closed by 7 pm, and roads became deserted. For several nights, Punjab plunged into darkness as mandatory blackouts were enforced.

After three days of escalating tensions, 'Operation Sindoor' was paused last Saturday following a ceasefire agreement. Amid heightened tensions between the two nations, a sizeable portion of the state's population started taking lessons on preparedness and life skills for handling emergency situations through the NCC and civil defence training.

The teams of State Disaster Response Force, Bathinda, and NCC battalions across Punjab are regularly engaged in rigorous training of more than 20,000 NCC cadets across the state — mostly school and college students — in handling safety and rescue operations for civilian populations. The civil defence teams are now being expanded in every district. Equipment worth over Rs 50 crore is being doled out across the state for firefighting, purchase of ambulances, sirens, ropes, etc.

The cadets of the largest uniformed youth organisation, NCC, have been undergoing mock practice for air attacks, building collapse, firefighting, evacuation, rescue operation and even providing first-aid. NCC Director General Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh said that extensive war-level training of NCC cadets was under way across the country, more actively in the border states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

NCC Group Commander Brig Ajay Tewari said civil defence mock drills were being conducted in 300 districts of the country wherein all citizens, cadets and students were taught about safety methods in case of air attack, nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. Many cadets are receiving such training for the first time in their lives, he added.

The NCC Group Headquarters based in Jalandhar alone has been handling civil defence training of 8,000 NCC cadets in 250 different educational institutes falling under NCC battalions of Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Phagwara and Jalandhar. Commanding Officer Col Vinod Joshi, 2 Punjab Battalion, NCC, Jalandhar, said that the youth had been trained in rescue operations and were now capable of handling emergency situations themselves, even if no administrative, police or emergency help was immediately available.

"We taught them that even if there is no ambulance service or stretcher available, they could still layer up four sheets found at home and make it work like a stretcher. We have taught them how to rescue victims and take them to the nearest highway — from where help could possibly be available. They have already been trained in imparting first-aid, giving CPR, etc. The training primarily intends to ensure that no time is wasted during rescue operation as every minute counts in such a situation," he said.

He added: "Recently, a 16-member team of the 7th Battalion of SDRF, Bathinda, led by Assistant Commander Pankaj Sharma, had taught the NCC cadets and students of the School of Eminence, Tanda, about first-aid methods, so that immediate help could be provided in an emergency situation. This did not just include training. We are also instilling the spirit of nationalism in the youth."

The trained civil defence teams are actively engaged. Observing them in fluorescent yellow jackets during drills, many youths have expressed a desire to join the force. Administrative offices across all districts in the state have started receiving applications from volunteers eager to contribute. Punjabis have indeed shown true resilience in troubled times.