Red Cross in disaster response drill
Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has embarked on an exercise to empower its staff and volunteers on first aid response towards natural disasters in the country.
The training sessions, which are targeting all staff and volunteers, started on Tuesday and are expected to continue throughout this month.
the training session
Speaking on Friday during a training of the first group of 38 people, MRCS acting secretary general Hastings Kandaya said modules for the training are focusing on disaster response.
He said: “We started some time back with search and rescue training modules, then it was followed by shelter whereby we try to rescue people and provide them with safe shelters like we do in construction of the camps and other facilities in times of disasters.”
He said the training encompasses five main disasters namely floods, strong winds, cyclone, earth quake and fires.
The training sessions are being jointly done with the Marine Department, Malawi Defence Force and Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma).
The Danish Red Cross is providing funds for the capacity building exercise.
Danish Red Cross Consortium coordinator Khristen Sutton, said they are happy working with Malawi Red Cross in this partnership of providing quality first aid services.
She encouraged all individuals and institutions seeking first aid services to engage the Malawi Red Cross because of its capacity and reach across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Patrick Duncan Phiri said the training has been helpful in that they are now in better position to respond to situations requiring urgent support. n
