News
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Concordia Rescue Team: Pakistan’s first mountain rescueISLAMABAD: A mountain rescue service is finally born in Pakistan. Its name is Concordia Rescue Team, and it’s made up entirely by qualified Pakistani staff. The base camp is on the Concordia Glacier, at the foot of K2, and the equipment of the team includes a hyperbaric chamber, oxygen bottles and first aid materials for high altitude diseases. The Concordia Rescue Team came on duty two months ago and has already provided assistance to over 200 people, undertaking rescue operations on K2, Broad Peak and Gasherbrum. The initiative has been promoted by the Seed Project born in the framework of Pakistan-Italian debt for development SWAP agreement (PIDSA) and coordinated by the Italian EvK2Cnr Committee and the Karkaorum International University.
The Concordia Rescue Team is something completely new in Pakistan. An organised mountain rescue service had never existed among these mountains, except for temporary initiatives, carried out by foreign organisations. A few years ago, Pakistani people used to work only as porters for trekking or mountaineering expeditions, and their skills were inadequate in case of emergencies at high altitude like the tragic avalanche on K2 in 2008.
Today the situation has radically changed – a mountain rescue team, entirely composed of Pakistani staff, started working on the Concordia Glacier two months ago. The team is made by mountain rescue technicians and paramedics, all experienced, acclimatised and specifically trained. They provide assistance to porters, trekkers and climbers.
“The goal is to create an emergency service working every year at Concordia,” explains Maurizio Gallo, technical manager of the Seed Project in Pakistan, providing assistance to the people visiting the Baltoro Glacier. “Last year we trained 15 high-altitude porters for mountain rescue on rock and ice, and in October there will be another rescue training course. Technicians and paramedics also received medical training for first aid at the Skardu Hospital. For the future, we are working to start cooperation with the emergency service 1122 of Skardu, and with the helicopter service, managed by the Pakistan Army,” he said.
The Concordia Rescue Team is an emergency service with two tasks – helping in case of accidents on the mountains and maintaining safe the trekking routes on the glacier, and providing medical assistance to tourists, climbers and porters. Such a service is of primary importance among these mountains, where tourist flows are increasing. pr
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk