KARACHI: The Sindh branch of the Pakistan Red Crescent (PRC) recently organized an awareness session on Fire Safety and First Aid exclusively for Journalists at Karachi Press Club.
Over 80 male and female journalists attended the session, which included camerapersons, health and crime reporters. They learned how to protect themselves from fire and save lives through first aid techniques.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the awareness session, Kanwar Waseem, the Provincial Secretary of PRC-Sindh, said that Pakistan Red Crescent Society is highly committed to providing primary health and First Aid facilities to the maximum people of the country to deal with emergencies. Hence, a series of training/workshops are being organized at national and regional levels.
He emphasized that first aid training is crucial for media practitioners in the field or at home. Mr Waseem highlighted the importance of the subject and said that accidents, bomb blasts and other emergencies are frequent.
Generally, journalists are the first to arrive at the scene after an accident. Journalists usually cover accidents or crowded events where any untoward incident can be expected at any time, like arson or any other explosion. These awareness sessions contribute imperatively in educating journalists about the basic techniques of first aid and fire safety. As a result, they can save many lives while protecting their own lives, he added.
The Provincial Secretary also urged the journalists to join hands with the Pakistan Red Crescent and voluntarily serve to alleviate the sufferings of the more vulnerable people in our society.
"Again, we are giving journalists the gift of a smart and fully loaded first aid kit, which is also very easy to carry on a motorcycle," said Muhammad Aftab Madni, the Media & Communications Officer for PRC-Sindh. He appreciated all the journalists for taking the time to attend this important session. He also thanked the management of Karachi Press Club for their co-operation in organizing the event with complete dedication and enthusiasm.
Waqar Bhatti, the Secretary of Karachi Press Club Health Committee, appreciated the efforts of Pakistan Red Crescent Sindh to conduct emergency first aid training for journalists every year.
The Honorary General Secretary of PRC-Sindh, Tariq Moen, inaugurated the event and conducted an interactive session for journalists on fire safety. Following that, Khurrum Latif, a Training Manager at PRC-Sindh, demonstrated how to administer first aid.
The closing ceremony concluded with the distribution of certificates and first aid kits to the participants.