Thursday 30 January 2014

Damage control: Coordinated response key to reducing disaster risk


There is a need to train rescue teams and establish a central command system to enable the government and humanitarian agencies to coordinate and minimise destruction during any disaster, said fellows from the Institute for International Emergency Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, on Tuesday.

“There is a lack of coordination among different stakeholders, including the government and rescue agencies,” said the fellows – Dr Shawn D’Andrea, Dr Usha Periyamayagam and Dr Payal Modi.

“The top leadership and heads of the organisations have to understand that, without coordination, rehabilitation cannot be carried out effectively,” they said.

The Harvard team members were holding training workshops on ‘Preparing emergency department for disaster’ and ‘Training paramedics in pre-hospital mass casualty management.’ The participants from the Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF), Pakistan Red Crescent Society and Aman Foundation were trained in modern techniques for disaster-risk management.

“We want to train the rescue teams about the humanitarian element during any disaster,” briefed Dr Modi. “In this manner, the skilled persons will be able to tackle the situations confidently,” she added.

“There is a need for different ambulance services to coordinate amongst themselves,” said Dr Periyanayangam. The plan is to meet the heads of different organisations and government officials, she added.

“The heads of Chhipa and Edhi are interested in having their rescue staff trained. We’ll meet them soon. They are the major stakeholders in the city. Edhi is even working in other parts of the country,” informed Dr Andrea.

The team said that they had held several meetings with officials of Sindh health department, Provincial Disaster Management Authority and others regarding the training of their respective staff members.

“The top leadership should show interest. These trainings would be more beneficial for field officers,” they added.

“We lack proper management. We need to train our staff,” commented Dr Ali Warsi of Red Crescent. He said that though he was already trained but the knowledge he received from the Harvard team was good for him and his staff. “It was designed in accordance with the prevailing situation,” he maintained.

KKF ambulance driver Syed Nazim Hussain seemed satisfied and excited. “It was my first such training,” he said. Hussain complained that without the resources, it is not possible for rescue workers to save lives effectively. “There is also a lack of awareness among people who abruptly show up at a blast location,” he added.

“One well-equipped ambulance will not be enough,” commented Ghulam Raza, a staff member of Aman Foundation. “All rescue workers should be trained and work in complete harmony. The accident site is always a mess. Every rescue worker wants to recover bodies and injured persons without thinking they could harm those who could be saved,” he said.

Concluding the session, Dr Periyanayagam stressed that the participants needed to share knowledge with their colleagues. “You should put disaster training into practice on the field,” she encouraged.

The team informed that not only rescue teams but law enforcement agencies needed to be trained. “I was part of the Boston blast rescue team. There was central command coordination during the rescue. It really made everything easy,” informed Dr Andrea.

The Harvard teams said that it is the need of the hour for all teams involved in disaster management to work together. “Whatever it is – floods, earthquakes, road accidents or blasts – you can’t manage things easily without coordination,” they said.

Thursday 30 January 2014

http://tribune.com.pk/story/665009/damage-control-coordinated-response-key-to-reducing-disaster-risk-argues-harvard-team/

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Official death toll climbs to 19 after Quebec seniors' home fire; 13 still missing


Firefighters and police officers, some on their hands and knees, braved bitter cold for yet another day to find more bodies in the rubble of a seniors' home that was engulfed in flames last week.

Surete du Quebec confirmed Wednesday that 19 people are now confirmed dead and 13 remain missing after the blaze that ravaged Residence du Havre in L'Isle-Verte in eastern Quebec early last Thursday.

"We will keep going until all 32 people have been found," said Surete du Quebec Lt. Michel Brunet the day before.

A police investigator slips on the ice as they search through the frozen rubble of a seniors residence in L'Isle-Verte, Que. Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. (Ryan Remiorz / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Four people have been formally identified by the coroner's office so far. They are Angéline Guichard, 88, Marie-Lauréat Dubé, 82, Louis-Philippe Roy, 89 and Juliette Saindon, 95.

Authorities say they are satisfied with the progress of their work during the last six days.

Weather has been a major hurdle, forcing crews to take regular breaks to warm up from the bone-chilling cold.

Special machines also had to be brought in to melt thick ice that coated the ruins after the fire. Police have had to approach the rubble carefully, not just to avoid harming any bodies within the structure but also to preserve evidence that may allow investigators to determine a cause for the blaze.

About 65 per cent of the site has been examined. Brunet said it is difficult to say how long it will take to complete the effort because large hunks of debris have to be removed carefully.

The delicacy of the effort was reflected in the large construction shovels that have been brought in which carefully scratched at the ground to remove rubble.

Smaller tools such as rakes, brooms and spades were also being used by the workers, who also include pathologists from the Quebec coroner's office.

Surete du Quebec spokesperson Ann Mathieu says the searches are progressing well and about 50 people are combing the rubble of the building in teams.

On Tuesday, media were granted increased access to the remnants of the Residence du Havre to see the efforts in the community about 240 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Health and social services officials also said six people remain in hospital. Nine others have found new homes and five people are expected to be relocated on Wednesday.

Surete du Quebec also said the public has responded to their requests for any photos or videos taken of the fire and they will begin sifting through them in the coming days.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is among those who are expected to attend a commemorative ceremony in L'Isle-Verte this coming Saturday.

Thursday 30 January 2014

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/official-death-toll-climbs-to-19-after-quebec-seniors-home-fire-13-still-missing-1.1661754

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