The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Kano Operations Office, has trained critical stakeholders on Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) operations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the refresher training brought together the Nigeria Police Force, Federal and State fire services, FRSC, NIWA, NSCDC, Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nigeria Red Cross Society, and NEMA staff.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Kano, the Head of Operations, NEMA Kano Operations Office, Dr Nura Abdullahi, said the training was aimed at updating participants on techniques and procedures for effective search and rescue operations.
He said the exercise was necessary because of the increasing occurrence of disasters in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
“The essence is to make ourselves and our stakeholders abreast of the techniques of search and rescue operations to respond to emergencies.
“There are a lot of happenings around Nigeria and around the world, so the agency feels it is important to gather staff and stakeholders to conduct this refresher training and make them action-ready,” he said.
Abdullahi stressed the importance of preparedness, saying disaster management had shifted from waiting for disasters to occur before responding to taking proactive measures.
“Prevention and preparedness are very important. There is a paradigm shift whereby you cannot wait for disaster to happen before you respond; you have to prepare.
“This is part of the preparedness for all our stakeholders because disaster management is everybody’s activity.
“Disaster can strike at any time, and because of that, we need to refresh ourselves and our relevant critical stakeholders,” he said.
He also emphasised the role of the media in search and rescue operations, particularly in disseminating information on potential dangers and educating the public on safety measures before disasters occurred.
Abdullahi also presented a paper titled ” An Overview of Search and Rescue, Epidemic Evacuation Plan(SAREEP”.
Also, the Head of Search and Rescue Unit NEMA Kano, Mr Abdulhadi Tukur, presented a paper titled “Safety Concerns on Search and Rescue/Evacuation in Flood Waters”.
Faruk Abubakar-Imam, Area Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi Area Office, presented a paper on “General Safety Tips on the Use of Waterways During Evacuation”.
He said statistics showed that over 60 per cent of deaths during flood evacuation occurred from secondary incidents rather than drowning in homes.
He listed boat capsizing, overloading during panic evacuation, night rescue without adequate lighting and failure to use life jackets among the major causes.
“In Kano, most rescue boats are commercial wooden canoes that are not designed for rescue operations. Therefore, safety discipline is non-negotiable,” he said.
Ibrahim Ismail, a participant from the Nigeria Red Cross Society, commended NEMA for organising the training.
He said regular refresher training was important to address gaps among responding agencies and improve their capacity to provide effective assistance during emergencies.
“This kind of training is very important for all of us because it improves our day-to-day activities and ensures that we do the right thing while saving people in need of our assistance,” he said.
Another participant, Sabo Abdullahi, Special Assistant to the Director, Kano State Fire Service, commended NEMA for organising the training, saying it had provided participants with valuable knowledge that would enhance their rescue activities.
NAN reports that the training also featured practical demonstrations on the use of life jackets and an emergency drill, during which some participants became emotional
