Daily Times

A Rescue 1122 team has been awarded medal and certificate by President of Islamic Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in recognition of the services rendered by the first United Nations INSARAG Certified Pakistan Rescue 1122 Team in Turkiye Earthquake 2023.

The medal and award was given to Rescue 1122 Team leader Dr Rizwan Naseer for saving many lives and extrication of many dead from collapsed structures in Adiyaman and Hatay Turkiye affected by the devastating earthquake, said a spokesperson here. Dr Rizwan Naseer, was also invited to the United Nations INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group) Steering Group Meeting in Geneva by the Global Chair to discuss the Turkiye Earthquake response at the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week in Geneva, Switzerland from 24 to 28th April, 2023.

In these United Nations INSARAG events, the response to such disasters in future was also discussed. Dr Rizwan Naseer represented the country at these meetings and briefed about the work done by Pakistan especially Rescue 1122 Team in Turkiye Earthquake. He specially thanked the United Nations INSARAG for providing training to Rescue 1122 Team in Search & Rescue to respond to disasters at international level.

On this occasion, he stated that Rescue 1122 had been working for the management of emergencies since 2004. The Rescue 1122 team reached at Adiyaman Turkiye on very next day and started rescue operations and also extricated trapped victims alive and relocated the trapped bodies from the collapsed structures in Adiyaman and Hatay.