In 2006, Rescue 1122, a nationwide emergency humanitarian service provider was established by the Government of Punjab. Quite recently, the provincial government, along with Rescue 1122, took another initiative to launch Rescue Cadet Corps (RCC)—and its mobile application—which aims to involve youth by training them on emergency management and safety promotion.
More About Rescue Cadet Corps (RCC)
Primary medical attention in emergency situations can save lives. It is essential that every person should know about baseline emergency treatment like providing first aid. To that end, the government of Punjab has introduced the initiative of Rescue Cadet Corps. It aims to engage youth and unleash their potential by providing training by professionals. This initiative is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who routinely calls for the engagement of youth in different fields so as to contribute to the progress of Pakistan.
Through RCC, students and youth will be trained and mobilized to ensure the health and safety of the community. Harnessing the skills of the youth of Pakistan in order to provide primary rescue services is definitely a step in the right direction, considering Pakistan is often listed among the top 5 countries that have a significant youth population—a fact that the prime minister often refers to while expanding upon the potential of the country.
RCC Training Components
Induction in Rescue Cadet Corps is voluntary and students can enrol themselves by registering on the mobile application of RCC. Before we discuss the mobile application and its features, let’s look at the format of training and modules that students will be able to learn.
Five Modules of RCC Training
The first step will be getting online training on five different modules which volunteers can learn on the mobile application as well. These modules include first aid, fire safety, road safety, healthy and clean Pakistan. After the students have been trained on all five modules, drill and practical will be organized in order to give students a hands-on experience about different situations and how to deal with them. This will be two weeks long training that will be held in colleges and universities which will also include team-building exercises, safety promotion activities and lifesaving practicals.
Pakistan Life Savers Program (PLSP)
Pakistan Life Savers Program (PLSP) is a component or Rescue Cadet Corps, in collaboration with Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), through which 10 million people of Pakistan will be provided training for the lifesaving skill of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). CPR is a lifesaving technique useful in emergency situations including cardiac arrests and drowning. In these situations, a person’s breathing or heartbeat might stop and require immediate resuscitation. Another part of PLSP is to train people on bleeding control in case of a road accident or any other emergency to increase survival chances. The department and AKU hospital are still working on the prerequisite of this course but it is expected to be launched in March 2021.
Industrial Emergency Response Team (ERT)
This component is specially designed for large-scale organizations that will comprise training on emergency evacuation techniques, emergency response and safety drill. Prior to receiving this training, employees of the organization will also complete the online training.
About The RCC Mobile Application
To make the initiative more successful and make the process easier, Rescue Cadet Corp (RCC) in collaboration with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) launched the RCC mobile application on February 19, 2021. Through the mobile application, the volunteers will be able to register themselves with RCC online and get training and certification of different RCC modules. In addition to these features, the application will also serve as a connection between all the registered scouts.
Benefits For Students
The framework of RCC is similar to that of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). Rescue Punjab Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer has reportedly submitted a proposal that will benefit students who will volunteer as rescue scouts to attract more and more students. These will be:
- Students who are enrolled in colleges will be given 20 extra marks as previously given for NCC
- Students who are registered in universities will be given credit hours
- This initiative may also be linked with different organizations such as TEVTA and chambers in order to provide youth with further opportunities to earn livelihood
How Can You Register For Rescue Cadet Corps?
In the past, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) programme was imparted to intermediate level students, primarily, to help them acquire the skill of self-defence. It promoted readiness among the students for situations that required the use of different tools and dealing with high-pressure tasks. The idea behind the RCC programme is somewhat similar, considering it aims to make the youth ready for emergency situations, so they don’t have to be dependent on professional help. The process of registering for the RCC programme is easy.
One needs to download the RCC mobile application, which is available for all smartphones. It was developed with the help of PITB, as mentioned above, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that students and citizens could easily receive online training for the RCC programme.
Fill in the required fields by providing your information and register. You can then learn about different courses and apply for training and certifications.
About NCC
The National Cadet Corps (NCC) of Pakistan works under the guidelines of the Pakistan Army and in the past, it provided basic civil defence training to students of intermediate level. The NCC programme included basic military and weapon training and response to emergency situations. In 2002, the then president abolished NCC but currently, efforts are being made for the revival of the NCC programme in colleges.
This brings us to the end of the overview of the Rescue Cadet Corps (RCC). Meanwhile, if you are interested, you can also read other detailed overviews of the Rasta Mobile Application and tracking your driving license online at Zameen Blog, the top real estate blog in Pakistan.
