PANKAJ SARMA
Guwahati, Apr 17 : The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will train police on ways to provide pre-hospital treatment to disaster victims to stabilise their condition and sustain lives till they are admitted to a hospital.
As part of it, the trainers of the Guwahati-based 1st battalion of the NDRF will provide a five-day training to the policemen and the new recruits of the northeastern states at the North Eastern Police Academy at Umsaw in Shillong from April 25.
The pre-hospital treatment to victims becomes crucial because it has been observed that 60 to 70 per cent of the victims die on their way to hospitals.
A spokesperson for the NDRF’s 1st battalion, Manoj Tiwari, said around 100 policemen of different ranks — from inspectors to constables — would participate in the training programme.
He said the participants would be imparted various skills to stabilise the patient till he/she is taken to hospitals.
“They will be taught how to provide basic treatment and first aid to victims suffering from musculoskeletal injuries, burn injuries, use of impaled objects and manual cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, among others,” Tiwari said.
“The most important factor in an emergency is the amount of time lost before a patient is admitted to hospital. It is not just how quickly a patient is shifted, but the manner in which the victim is transported which often makes a difference between life and death.”
The trainees will also be taught how to resuscitate the victims in shock by segregating them from the spot and offering psychological counselling.
“Shock is a life-threatening condition with severe effects on the cardiovascular system. A child when bitten by a non-venomous snake may die of shock. In such a situation, by giving some basic treatment, we can save lives,” Tiwari said.
“They will be trained to rescue people trapped under collapsed buildings and other structures,” he said.
The NDRF, which was raised by the Centre in 2005, is a multi-disciplinary, multi-skilled and high-tech force capable of effectively responding to all types of disasters.
