USAID and NSET-PEER support Nepal Police capacity building efforts in emergency response
Jul 1, 2015
The National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET) / Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER) congratulates all the participants for successfully completing the Medical First Responder (MFR) and Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) End Users Courses, conducted at Nepal Police Disaster Management Division in Samakhushi, Kathmandu, Nepal. The MFR End Users Course was held on June 8-14, 2015 and CSSR End Users Course on June 18-22, 2015.
MFR End Users Course aims to teach participants the basic knowledge and skills for assessing, providing pre-hospital care and stabilizing patients until patient is referred to professional level emergency responders or until patient is transported to a healthcare facility for further treatment.
CSSR End Users Course aims to teach participants the basic knowledge and skills on how to gain access on the collapsed structure safely and extricate victim from the rubble with the use of various equipment such as circular saw, chipping hammer, reciprocating saw, chainsaw, etc. Total 48 participants (24 each for MFR and CSSR end users courses) from various partner organizations such as Nepal Police, Nepal Red Cross Society, NSET, selected emergency response organizations and municipalities participated in these courses.
The joint closing program of MFR and CSSR End Users Course was graced by respected Dr. Beth Dunford, USAID Nepal Mission Director, as Special Guest; and honorable Mr. Rameshwor Dangal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, as Chief Guest. Dr. Dunford underscored in her speech the important role that national responders play in a major emergency, being the country’s first line of defense, the first ones to save their own before external help arrives. Mr. Dangal Sir emphasized that every individual must take action to be prepared and has acknowledged that PEER has been a great contribution in shaping Nepal’s national emergency response system.
The course closing program was also highlighted by a handover of the PEER MFR training equipment to Nepal Police Disaster Management Division. Dr. Beth Dunford, USAID Nepal Mission Director, handed over the MFR equipment to Nepal Police Disaster Management Division, led by SSP Thule Rai.
PEER is funded by the United States Agency for International Development / Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) since 1998. PEER Stage 4 (2014-2019) is being implemented by NSET in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
