Swift Water Search & Rescue training breaks new ground

Colombo (News1st) - A special breed of rescuers are being trained in Puttlam these days through a program coordinated by the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry of Japan. For the first time in Sri Lanka, the Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) of the Sri Lanka Navy is playing host to a Search and Rescue Swift Water Training Programme. This is incidentally the first time that such a high-level training is being conducted in Sri Lanka. The 8-day program which commenced on the 16th of this month is due to conclude on Wednesday (Jan 23). The final simulation exercise will be held on Wednesday in the presence of the Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, the Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka and other officials. The 8-day program is being conducted in two stages, one for armed forces personnel and the other for civilian organizations. A-Pad Japan has augmented the programme with six international expert trainers from Taiwan and Japan who are conducting the program alongside Search and Rescue instructors of the RABS. This training is significantly important to Sri Lanka which in recent years has faced the flooding almost every year. These floodwaters claim the lives of hundreds of lives each year and in such a backdrop the ability to search and rescue victims in a safe and efficient manner from dangerous flood waters has become a pressing need of the hour. Participants who complete the gruelling training program will receive the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Level 1 certification.