Aaranyak volunteers, AAPDA Mitras from HWC zones trained in first aid

GUWAHATI: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) and biodiversity conservation organization Aaranyak have joined hands to create a huge pool of personnel/volunteers among the public from human wildlife conflict (HWC) areas in Assam trained in providing first aid in emergency situation.

For the purpose, a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme was organized at Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM) here on Monday where over 40 Aaranyak’s volunteers, including women from villages from the field and AAPDA Mitras and members of Circle Quick Response Teams (CQRT) of ASDMA were provided hands-on training of providing first aid by a resource team from Ist NDRF Battalion led by Inspector Krishna Bhusan Nath.

The participants were provided an elaborate training on providing first aid by the NDRF team so that the trained people can go back to their areas and train local villagers, including women on giving first aid in similar workshops to be organized at local level later. Aaranyak volunteers were pooled from human-elephant conflict (HEC) hotspots in Goalpara, Udalguri, Baksa and Golaghat districts.

Aaranyak’s senior scientist Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar informed that it was a great opportunity under the aegis of ASDMA and NDRF to train Aaranyak volunteers and ASDMA, AAPDA Mitras from HEC/HWC hotspot areas get training on first aid which is often in need in these conflict zones to save lives of HEC/HWC victims.

Inaugurating the workshop Aaranyak’s vice-president, Dr Dilip Chetri said that it was a very important workshop as first aid is vital for saving lives in trauma or under medical emergency.

ASDMA State Coordinator, Dr Kripaljyoti Mazumdar stated that it was just the beginning of a need-based prolonged coordination between ASDMA and Aaranyak given that HWC has been declared a ‘state-specific disaster’ by Assam Government.

ASDMA Senior Consultant Dr. Surajit Baruah graced the inauguration of the workshop that was supported by SBI Foundation and US Fish and Wildlife Services. Aaranyak officials Anjan Baruah, Rabiya Daimary, Niranjan Bhuyan, and Dibakar Nayak played a vital role in organizing the workshop.

The NDRF resource team detailed the participants through practical sessions on patient assessment, soft tissue injuries, skull, spine and chest injuries, lifting and moving patients, basic life support (BLS), and cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), stated a press release.