MFR and CSSR instructors added in India through PEER Instructors’ Workshops
Jun 17, 2017
The National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET) in collaboration with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) of India organized back-to-back instructors’ workshops under the Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER) Stage 4 (2014-2019). NSET and NDRF recently completed Medical First Responder Instructors’ Workshop (MFRIW) conducted on May 15-19, 2017; and Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue Instructors’ Workshop (CSSRIW) on May 25-31, 2017, at 03rd Bn NDRF Training Centre in Mundali, Odisha, India.
The MFRIW and CSSRIW are specialized instructors’ courses under PEER that provide participants with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to become efficient MFR and CSSR instructors.
Twenty-one participants from various NDRF battalions who successfully completed the recent PEER MFR, CSSR and TFI courses at the same training venue also completed the MFRIW; and 18 participants completed the CSSRIW. India’s NDRF is an elite group created to counter natural and human-induced catastrophes such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, nuclear and even biological attacks. Until date, there are 10 battalions deployed in strategic locations in India. Since PEER Stage 1, India has now a total of 149 MFR instructors and 133 CSSR Instructors.
A joint formal closing program of TFI, MFRIW and CSSRIW was completed on 31 May 2017 at 03rd Bn, NDRF Mundali, Odisha, India. All graduates and instructors were presented certificates by the honorable guests. Shree Bipin Bihari Mallick, Additional Secretary (DM), Ministry of Home Affairs, Maj. Gen. V K Naik KC, AVSM, Senior Consultant, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Prof. (Dr.) Vinod Sharma, Vice Chairman, Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, Mr. Dustin Shiau, USAID/OFDA Regional Office-Bangkok, Shree Jacob Kispotta, Commandant, 03rd BN NDRF and Dr. Amod Mani Dixit, Executive Director, NSET and Chief of Party, PEER graced the closing program.
PEER is a regional training program initiated and funded by the United States Agency for International Development /Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance since 1998. NSET is implementing PEER Stage 4 in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
