Increasing the ability of local communities to respond in an emergency

Search and Rescue Training

INF recently conducted Search and Rescue training alongside Red Cross first aid training for young people.

Accidents and serious injuries are common in Kushma Gurung’s village in Nepal. But often there is no one equipped to provide first aid. Kushma is one of 24 young people who have recently completed the First Aid training organised by INF’s Disaster Response and Resilience Department.

“If someone gets injured in our village nobody knows how to properly help,” says Kushma. “It’s especially difficult seeing children, pregnant women and the elderly in need.”

INF’s workshops included four days of Basic First Aid training run by the Nepal Red Cross Society. The INF team then ran three days of Light Search and Rescue training. Ten men and fourteen women took part in the workshops which are aimed at building disaster resilient communities. There is a great need in Nepal – a country where natural disasters are common. The aim is to train up volunteer groups that can mobilise quickly in the event of a disaster. They will also be able to share their knowledge and skills with others in the community.

Twenty-one year old Ramesh BK also took part in the training. He lives two hours from the nearest Health Post. Ramesh reflected on the number of occasions where friends had had serious falls and broken an arm or leg. He often felt helpless knowing medical help was several hours away, and no-one in his village knew first aid.

Ramesh is now keen to share what he has learnt with his family and community so that others can use the skills he has learned.