Necessity of Surviving & Volunteering

byVishwanath Joshi, Student

Bhavan,s B.P. Vidya Mandir, Nagpur

I woke up , interrupted in my dream, by the loud noise of something falling on my bed , right beside me …

As I opened my drowsy eyes , I witnessed my world turning upside-down, quit literally. My bed shook , the furniture

seemed to break and the loosely hung family portrait crashed to the ground, breaking into irreconcilable pieces …A

premonition for what was to happen, just a few moments later.

Bhavesh survived the

consequence of the tremors but

lost many friends & relatives

including his mother. He tried

his best to extricate her…..

What he witnessed was devastating and stressful-both physically & mentally for

which he was not prepared

Bhavesh was not the only

one to undergo the

trauma.There were many who

survived but lost almost everything.

He witnessed heart

wrenching scenes

everywhere he went. There

were very few who could console

others….

There was hardly any help coming….he felt helpless as nobody had prepared him for such

an event…not even his school….although many later said…they knew Kutch was vulnerable to

high intensity quakes….

The shock that many underwent…could have been avoided….had Bhavesh’s school

included some skill development lessons for survival & how to assist others, as they say,

in the golden hour…..

The chaos that followed was also disturbing….equally traumatic….elders pushing

young survivors to reach the meager aid coming shortly after…this was the next battle for survival….Bhavesh was not ready for…..

The experiences of Bhavesh had shaken me and I now…. understood the importance of learning survival skills……..I then visited NCDC to know

more….

They told me about HAZARDS…

Every environment contains potential hazards. However, students can learn to identify

them so that they can be eliminated or at least

reduced.• Students should identify potential

hazards in their classrooms and homes that could cause damage, injury or death during a disaster.

• List and, if possible, make changes to eliminate or reduce potential hazards.

They explained how to assess Risk….

• Hazard + Vulnerability = Risk

• You can ascertain the direct causes of most disaster deaths and injuries. Tell others that the phenomenon seldom causes death or injury and most serious damage is caused by falling debris from damaged buildings or other related consequences….

I understood the need for Preparedness everywhere….and every time…

You can increase your chances of survival in any

disaster by having essential supplies ready, learning about safety and practicing various drills. We can help assemble emergency kits for our home, classroom and

family vehicle.

They told me the seven important steps we can take during a disaster.

• Be aware of the disasters that put you at risk and understand your vulnerability.

• Think about what might happen to your family and what steps you would take in an emergency.

• Talk with your family, friends &neighbors about things you could do.

• Involve your family to decide the steps to be taken after the disaster .

Seven important steps…..

- Store important documents safely in a fire-proof & water-proof container.

- Find out about your local emergency services.

- Prepare an emergency kit and keep it handy.

I learnt to rescue people trapped under the debris.

CPR – Cardio Pulmonary resuscitation.

The seven bandage method.

Vertical Rescue from buildings

I am confident….I am resilient…

and I am now prepared

to face the uncertain future….I am a volunteer..

Conclusion

• Research into Human reactions to Disaster has overwhelmingly recognized that Resilience to Disasters is much more commonly displayed by individuals having pre-knowledge and training to withstand the consequences.

After five days of agony, Akash Bhavar, 8, smiles as the pain subsides at the city civil

hospital in Ahmedabad on Jan 30. Akash and his brother

survived but lost their mother when their house on the

outskirts of the city collapsed during the earthquake.

Remember your Survival depends on your Preparedness

Thank you