LAHORE – The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) has started its 3rd National Rescue Challenge, aiming to encourage emergency services from all over the country and to enhance their professional standards and competencies to cope with new emergency challenges.
While inaugurating the three-day long mega event at the Emergency Services Academy, Director General Rizwan Naseer said such events were essential for healthy competition among the rescuers and expedite their performance as well.  
“It is also a great opportunity for them to express their professional excellence and further improve their skills and serve the community,” he added. The director general also invited and encouraged all related emergency services of the country to participate in such events and work for safer Pakistan.
Around 12 teams from divisional headquarters of Rescue 1122, Army Medical Corps and Community Emergency Response Team from Sialkot are participating in this rescue challenge. Rescue 1122, Faisalabad team, the champion of 2nd National Rescue Challenge, is defending its title.
The performance of the participating teams shall be evaluated in accordance with International standards of emergency management during this event. These teams shall be given difficult emergency scenarios and situations to respond.
The first firefight competition was organised at Hockey Ground near Qaddafi Stadium on first day of the challenge where fire teams comprising fire rescuers and lead fire rescuers from different districts including Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Murree, Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sargodha, and Sialkot demonstrated their professional skills.
The competitions including Trauma Challenge, Deep Well Rescue Challenge and Swimming Competition are being organised today (Friday) whereas Water Rescue Challenge will be organised tomorrow (Saturday) from 10:00am.