National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) March 2010 - NDMA

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d. Fire Fighting Services. The main function of the firefighting services is only to
“extinguish fire”. The municipal civic authorities at Tehsil level are responsible for the
provision of firefighting services in the country.
e. Civil Defence. The Civil Defence Department was established through an
ordinance in 1951. It is now governed through the Civil Defence Act 1952. Before
1993, it was mandated to “take measure not amounting to actual combat, for affording
defence against any form of hostile attack by a foreign power or for depriving any form
of hostile attack by a foreign powers of its effects, wholly or in part, whether such
measures are taken before during or after the time of attack”. However, after some
time, it was assigned the additional task during peace to take remedial measures
against natural or manmade disasters 12 . The main function of the civil defence is to:-
(1) Assist local administration/army in rescue, evacuation and relief measures.
(2) Form search and rescue teams and train them in each province and in each
district of the country.
(3) Organize training on first aid, and search and rescue for government
departments and youth in colleges and universities.
(4) Organize training on bomb disposal/reconnaissance to the personnel of armed
forces, police and all other concerned agencies.
(5) Organize refresher courses and simulation exercises for volunteers on search
and rescue missions and first aid.
(6) Develop a database of volunteers at district agency headquarters, tehsil and
UC levels and organize trainings on search and rescue and first aid.
(7) Organize trainings on fire fighting for government staff and volunteers at district
and below district level.
(8) Create community awareness of public safety.
f. Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS). PRCS has contributed widely to disaster
response in Pakistan with the support of other national societies. It contributes
significantly in providing relief, recovery, reconstruction and capacity building activities.
Presently it is working in all four provinces and AJK, in 80 districts and has a core staff
of nearly 1,000. PRCS has a huge network of 50,000 volunteers. It primarily works in
disaster preparedness and response 13 .
g. Punjab Emergency Services (Rescue 1122). The Punjab Emergency Service is
12 Civil Defence Act
13 PRCS Website
known as Rescue 1122. It was created in 2004 as a small pilot project under the
Provincial Health Department (The Government of the Punjab) known as the Punjab
Emergency and Ambulance Service. The initial success and popularity of the project