Training of the Trainers for “Quick Impact Safety Training” started in Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi training school
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Power Distribution Program is set to launch a safety
training programme for the linemen of the 9 distribution companies (DISCOs) all over Pakistan, starting with Hyderabad Distribution Company (HESCO) on Dec 20, 2011. In this regard the 9 HESCO trainers who will impart “Quick Impact Safety Training” to 620 line staff at their DISCO Regional Training Center (RTC) started receiving lessons at the training school of Rescue 1122 in Rawalpindi starting on Dec 12, 2011.
The training of these trainers was spread over a three day course organized by the Power Distribution Program in partnership with Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi. During this training the participants received lessons on Basic Life Support, Basic Rescue Techniques and Fire Safety Measures.
The Rescue 1122 service organizes Community Training Programs for developing Safer Communities in Pakistan and has a team of trainers who have experience of consultancy, monitoring of different training programs and conducting training related Emergency and Disaster Management, which they have imparted to different government organizations, NGOs and INGOs.
“The statistics of deadly electrical accidents in distribution companies present a very grim picture showing no signs of reduction; rather there has been an increase in the number of accidents in the last few years. More than 100 linemen lost their lives in 2010-2011, which left miserable effects on their families and an equal number was injured seriously or disabled. Analysis of the accidents clearly indicates that the majority of the accidents are due to non-adherence of safety procedures and more than 90percent of the accidents are not due to defective equipment but due to failure on the part of the workmen, those in authority to observe safety rules and adopt safety practices for accident prevention” said Dick Dumford Chief of Party of the Power Distribution program while highlighting the importance of the training program.
MWP-USAID Power Distribution Improvement Program (PDIP) is a three-year, USAID-funded program aimed at working jointly with government-owned electric power Distribution Companies(DISCOs) in Pakistan to improve their performance in terms of reduction in losses, and improvement in revenues and customer services, to bring them to a level of well-run utilities as in other progressive countries. Through this program, the United States Government provides assistance and support to the Government of Pakistan (GOP) in its efforts to reform the power sector to end the current energy crisis.