Gujranwala team wins 10th National Rescue Challenge 2021

LAHORE : Gujranwala Rescue Team from Gujranwala Division won the 10th National Rescue Challenge 2021 here on Saturday.

The 10th National Rescue Challenge 2021 included seven events and evaluation of skills was carried out as per international standards. The Trauma & Medical Challenge was won by Jhelum Rescue Team from Rawalpindi Division, Fire Fit Challenge was won by Gujranwala Division, Water Rescue won by Peshawar Division KPK, Swimming won by Gujranwala Division, Deep Well Rescue won by Bahawalpur & Sargodha Division and Height Rescue Challenges won by Sargodha.

A total of 19 teams from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, MERC Balochistan, Agha Khan, Gilgit Baltistan, Universities and Volunteers participated in the 3-day challenge. Minister of State for Climate Change Ms Zartaj Gul was the chief guest on this occasion.

At the end, Minister of State for Climate Change Ms Zartaj Gul, along with Ms Choice Ufuoma Okoro and Dr Rizwan Naseer presented the winning trophy of the National Rescue Challenge 2021 to Rescue Team Gujranwala.

The Minister of State for Climate Change Ms Zartaj Gul congratulated the Gujranwala Team for winning the 10th National Rescue Challenge and individual winners of different events.

Ms Gul asserted that rescue professionals from different provinces are a valuable asset and pride of the Nation. “She said that when people are running away from the place of danger, only rescuers who are running towards the place of incident. When we are in danger, only immediate thought comes in mind of Rescue 1122 and which gives us the hope of life that there is someone who will save our life. The reward of your work is that you are included in our prayers and you will get a greater reward from Allah Almighty because the one who saved one life saved the whole of humanity.

Zartaj Gul said that we feel proud of Dr Rizwan Naseer and of course he must feel proud of the rescuers of all the provinces whenever they respond for providing immediate relief to any accident or tragedy.

She appreciated the Governments of Punjab, KPK, MERC Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan for establishing Emergency Rescue Service for rescue the helpless victims of emergencies but unfortunately the system was still missing in Sindh. Therefore, she requested to Government of Sindh to establish Rescue Services so that people from Sindh could also get timely professional emergency care without any discrimination.

Ms Zartaj congratulated DG Emergency Services Dr Rizwan Naseer and his team for rescuing over 9.9 million victims of emergencies, imparting training to over 20,000 emergency personnel from all provinces of Pakistan, holding 1st SAARC Rescue Challenge and Organising 10th National Rescue Challenge and 4th National Volunteer Challenge. She specially congratulated Pakistan Rescue Team of Emergency Services Academy for becoming the first United Nations INSARAG certified Team in South Asia.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Choice Ufuoma Okoro UN OCHA Head Pakistan said that the Rescue 1122 is a world class emergency response system in Punjab province which is providing assistance to other provinces through its Emergency Services Academy.

She congratulated winner team of 10th National Rescue Challenge and individual best performers of different events. She further said that Rescue 1122 is an emergency response and rescue entity that started from the dream of the founder and transformed into a world class UN certified rescue system. It gives me so much hope to serve in countries whose national capacity for humanitarian response is tops. Well, done Rescue 1122.

She ensured UN OCHA support for accreditation process of light Search and Rescue Team from UN INSARAG.

Earlier in his welcoming address, DG Emergency Services Dr Rizwan Naseer welcomed the chief guest and congratulated winning teams, and appreciated the academy officers and instructors for organising a healthy competition for all emergency services of Pakistan. He briefed the chief guest about the journey started from reforms in 2001 for Emergency Management System and finally UN certification. He appreciated the teams and asked them to show the same spirit and passion while dealing with emergencies in respective districts and provinces.

DG Rescue also presented shields to the Minister for Climate Change & Ms. Choice Ufuoma Okoro Head of UN OCHA, Pakistan.