LAHORE:Punjab Emergency Service (PES) Director-General Dr Rizwan Naseer Friday reviewed arrangements in all Punjab districts to provide emergency cover to mourning processions during the holy month of Muharram.
He was presiding over a video-link meeting of the district emergency officers (DEOs) and senior officers at the Emergency Services Headquarters here.
The DG also reviewed working of the district control rooms and the provincial monitoring cell. He directed all DEOs to cancel the leaves of the rescuers, implement code red on the 9th and 10th of Muharram and provide emergency cover while strictly observing corona emergency response protocols to all major processions. He said the disaster response force (DRF) stationed at Rescue Headquarters would be dispatched in case of any major emergency for backup support.
The PES DG directed all DEOs to review the checklist for emergency preparedness and hold meetings of district emergency boards with focal persons of majalis/ processions organisers, ensure training of Imamia Scouts/ volunteers and mapping of all licensed and traditional majalis and processions.
Earlier, Head of Operations Ayaz Aslam briefed the DG about the strategy made for implementation of the contingency plans for sensitive localities, identified in the district emergency board meetings.
As per the plans, over 11,000 rescuers would perform duties, who would provide cover to over 2,799 processions/ events with 900 motorbike rescuers, 750 ambulances and 371 fire and rescue vehicles including specialised vehicles from 1st to 10th of Muharram in all districts of Punjab.
The DG reviewed deployment plan of emergency service for Lahore in which 900 rescuers would be deployed on 50 ambulances and 300 motorbikes to provide emergency cover to processions and majalis. The special rescue teams would be deputed at Karbala Gamay Shah, Imamia Colony, Nisar Haveli, and other sensitive places in Lahore.
Additional rescue teams would remain in a stand-by position to provide backup in case of any untoward incident.