#NDRF #SDRF Between life and death, they extend a helping hand BANGALORE : Head constable Francis waded through the black gooey water that was, at times, chest high. Deep in the entrails of Bangalores underground drainage network, visibility was poor. And the gases down under almost choked him. But Francis and his teammates from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) braved it all. Equipped with masks and oxygen cylinders, they were out on a relentless hunt. The team was tasked with the job of finding Geethalakshmi, 8, who was washed away in a sewer running along Bannerghatta Road during a downpour. And the men in blue lived up to everyones expectations. Two days after the fatal fall, they fished out Geethalakshmis body from Agara lake. In two similar accidents in 2009, the kids bodies were not retrieved. Though their first time in a drain, these toughies have been at the forefront of many rescue operations, including the recent floods in Kashmir. From facilitating the delivery of a child in a rescue boat during floods in Orissa to participating in rescue work at Fukushima, Japan, following a nuclear power plant meltdown, these men have dedicated themselves to many such missions. They have even been part of endeavours of the Nuclear Biological Chemical Contingency team of the NDRF. Karnataka has never had its own NDRF battalion. Until recently, the disaster management force had three teams located in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. However, six months ago, a team of 52 men were deployed exclusively for IT City; a CRPF battalion was converted into NDRF. Although trained to kill for the country, its more satisfying to save lives, said one soldier about the transition. I remember searching for a man for nine days in the debris of a collapsed building in Bellary. We were hoping hed be alive, and we were right. Finding that man alive is one of the best moments of my life, said Francis, a constable with NDRF. Our job is not just to provide first aid. We have to do much more than that. In a disaster situation, we are the only source of medical aid for the victims. Our men are trained in administering first aid, said Jithesh, assistant commandant, NDRF. We are an equipment-intensive force, trained to use them to optimum capacity, and experts at handling all sorts of disasters, natural or man-made, he quipped. The composition The Disaster Management Act made statutory provisions for constitution of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for specialized response to natural and man-made disasters. Accordingly, in 2006, NDRF was constituted with 8 battalions (two each from BSF, CRPF, ITBP and CISF). As on date, NDRF has 10 battalions, each consisting of 1,149 personnel. timesofindia.indiatimes/city/bangalore/Between-life-and-death-they-extend-a-helping-hand/articleshow/44928149.cms
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 06:11:36 +0000
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