KARACHI: Swift and timely rescue operations, increased awareness in general public and the provision of equipment to operational lifeguard services can help reduce incidents of drowning in Karachi’s beaches, according to Pakistan Life Saving Foundation (PALS) administrator SM Ahsan. SM Ahsan said that PALS began its operations in 2004 as a registered nongovernmental organisation and successfully created a safe environment on the coastline through a mix of measures like life guard patrols, education, training, public safety campaigns, promotion of health and fitness. “PALS Rescue has so far saved almost 5,000 people from drowning. It has also conducted over 7,000,000 preventive actions and has provided first-aid to over 6,000 people. It presence along Karachi’s beaches provided protection to over 800,000 beach visitors every year,” explained Ahsan. He said that since 2004, the rescue organisation was able to maintain a ‘near zero’ drowning rate. Ahsan attributed this to the efforts of highly trained lifeguards. He said that The PALS administrator said that the rescue organisation had conducted almost 4,617 rescues, 266,181 preventive actions, 6,028 first-aid and 517 missing children recovery operations since 2004. Ahsan explained that PALS was established with the purpose of providing life guard services on the coastline as a free public service. “PALS Rescue is the only near shore water safety, drowning prevention and rescue authority in Pakistan,” he added. “PALS Rescue employs over 250 life guards from local community, thereby also creating an avenue of livelihood for them and their families. PALS Rescue works with around 200 rescue tubes, 10 international rescue birds, 2 rescue boards, 50 fins, 300 life jackets, 50 first-aid kits, 30 I com very high frequency, 5 binoculars, 5 megaphones, 1 big boat, 3 luxury boats and 3 patrol vehicles,” shared the administrator. He said that PALS Rescue operations were mainly funded through donations but corporate sponsorships were generally slow moving so gathering enough funds was a challenge. According to Ahsan, PALS Rescue is an internationally accredited life guarding establishment, representing Pakistan and it is a member of International Life Saving Federation (ILS), Surf Life Saving New Zeeland (SLSNZ) as associated member and member of Royal Lifesaving Society (RLSS), United Kingdom. “PLS Rescue during beach season hires 175 internationally trained personnel who impart training to the rest of the team,” Ahsan told Daily Times. He said that the trainers were experienced professionals who went to train people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other regional countries. “Our current financial need to operate in fullest manner can be made stronger if we collect nearly Rs 25 million (m) toRs 20 m on a yearly basis,” said Ahsan. “PALS Rescue also looks forward support from government as that is one of its biggest potential sources of funding,” he added. Ahsan shared that the public was not aware about the hazards they could face at beaches. “Picnickers often go swimming in clothes and due to religious and cultural reasons they tend not to take lifeguards and their instructions seriously,” he said while commenting on the subject of public awareness. He said that there was a need to educate the public and make them more aware of safety guidelines. “Life is precious. We should be careful, especially when we visit beaches during monsoon,” he said. Speaking of the challenges the rescue organisation was facing, Ahsan said that recruiting life guards and having a full team became particularly difficult during fishing season from October to March. He said that during the fishing season, most lifeguards were more inclined towards trying their luck at deep sea fishing to earn their livelihood. He said that the lifesaving equipment needed to be upgraded constantly because of saltwater erosion. “We also need more watch towers along the beaches,” he noted. Ahsan said that the lifeguards also needed a transportation facility. “A bus for the lifeguards would help us save deployment time and make our rescue organisation more efficient,” he added. “There should also be outdoor team building adventure activities for lifeguards,” he said. Meanwhile, PALS Rescue Chief Inspector Ghulam Mustafa and Patrol Captain, Muhammad Anwer said that PALS Rescue had compiled a complete database of rescued people. They said that the rescue facility should recruit female lifeguards because there was not a single female lifeguard on the team. On the other hand, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Fire Officer Miraj Ahmad said that the civic entity housed only 39 lifeguards and most of them were aged and unable to perform swift rescues. “The Emergency Response Centre of KMC at Hawksbay has been non-functional. We only have two idle mobiles which barely work properly so they are not enough,” lamented Miraj. He further said that KMC housed a total of three boats and lifejackets as well as other important rescue equipment was not available at the civic entity. He said that the Manora cantonment board and KMC were responsible for taking care of 30 kilometres (km) long beaches of Karachi but they were not performing their duties. He further said that rescue operations had to be initiated within three minutes in order to save a person from drowning. “These are urgent situations. There is only a single chance to save people from drowning,” he said. “Sometimes family members jump in the water to rescue their loved ones from drowning but since they are untrained they also lose their lives,” he said. Published in Daily Times, December 7th 2018.