Pali: As monsoon clouds gather and rains drench parts of Rajasthan, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has once again stepped up its vigilance. In 2024, the SDRF team in Pali rescued 96 individuals during flood-related emergencies. This year, a 9-member expert team has arrived in Pali, ready with specialized equipment and training to respond to emergencies.
The team includes in-charge Omdan Charan, along with
Shravanram, Ramsukh Dhaka, Maninder Singh, Ramkishore Saini, Bhisnararam,
Valaram, Vinod Kumar, and Ghamuram. These personnel are part of the 51 SDRF
teams deployed across 28 districts of Rajasthan ahead of the monsoon, prepared
to carry out rescue operations under challenging conditions.
Speaking to media, team in-charge Omdan Charan said that
training for the monsoon season begins as early as April. Teams undergo
intensive sessions on equipment usage, safety protocols, and rescue techniques.
The training ensures that rescuers can save lives without compromising their
own safety. “Our focus is to rescue people while protecting ourselves. That’s
why we strictly follow all safety protocols,” said Charan.
Rigorous Training in National Institutes
Charan further revealed that SDRF personnel are trained at
top institutions including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) centers
in Nagpur, Bhatinda, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. Additional specialized
training is provided by Life Saving Society in Kolkata and ITUS in Mumbai.
Here, personnel learn deep diving, rope rescue, swift water navigation, first
aid, and chemical hazard management.
The Role of Equipment in Saving Lives
The SDRF team carries a wide range of life-saving tools,
including:
- Life
jackets and ropes
- Motorboats
and stretchers
- Rescue
poles and inflatable boats
- Deep
diving suits (with oxygen tanks)
- Advanced
medical kits with neck and spine stabilizers, and first aid supplies
Maninder Singh from the team recalled that in 2024, they
rescued 96 people, recovered five bodies, and saved eight animals stranded in
floodwaters.
Urgent Need for Caution
The team emphasized the importance of public awareness. As
visuals of people dangerously crossing flooded rivers like the Khari in Jalore
emerge, SDRF warned against such reckless behavior. “Negligence invites
disaster,” a team member stated.
SDRF continues to serve as a lifeline during natural
disasters in Rajasthan. Between 2018 and 2024, their various units conducted
316 rescue operations across the state, saving over 12,000 lives.
With the early arrival of monsoon this year, SDRF’s presence
in Pali and other districts is expected to play a critical role in ensuring
public safety during the rainy season.