Shimla: Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has launched a Scheme for making a Task Force of Youth Volunteers for “Better Disaster Preparedness and Response in the State”.
Disaster Management Authority aiming to create a cadre of 10-15 volunteers per panchayat for effective disaster risk reduction and to train the Youth volunteers in life-saving skills of medical first aid and search and rescue.
Volunteers would be paid an honorarium of Rs 200 per day while training. The duration of training on search and rescue and medical first aid will be for three days.
Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has already implemented the scheme in each district by respective District Disaster Management Authority headed by the Deputy Commissioners.
Disaster Management Authority is targeting to train youth in 3226 panchayats with 15 volunteers per panchayat, the number of trained volunteers for the state in the next three years will be 48,390.
The database of these volunteers will be prepared and updated by the respective districts regularly and their services will be utilized during the disasters, road accidents and other emergencies.
The volunteers will be paid by the district authorities as and when their service will be used. This will significantly enhance the capacity of the State at the grass-root level to deal with disasters and emergencies.
The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management has created an online Volunteer Registration platform.
Interested volunteers can participate in the training programmes of District Disaster Management Authorities and would need to approach the Panchayat Pradhan/ Block Development Officer/ District Disaster Management Authority.
In case of any query concerned person may contact 1070 (State Control Room)/ or 1077 (District Control Room).
The local youth may join this initiative of the Government and learn lifesaving skills and save themselves, their families, their society and citizens in need. The Local NGOs, Yuva Mandals, NCC and NSS students should join this initiative in large numbers.
