HYDRAA expands Yuva Aapada Mitra training to villages
HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) will expand its Yuva Aapada Mitra training programme to district and village levels, its commissioner A V Ranganath said on Saturday. He also directed officials to prepare mobile training vehicles to support the expansion.
Addressing the valedictory of the second batch of the Yuva Aapada Mitra programme, Ranganath said the initiative aims to ensure immediate assistance during natural disasters to minimise loss of life and property.
‘Service mindset defines volunteers’
Participating in rescue operations during disasters is not an ordinary task, he said, adding that a sense of service was what made the trainees Yuva Aapada Mitras. He noted that 103 students from various colleges in Warangal, Karimnagar and Ranga Reddy districts attended the training.
Volunteers should think not only about themselves and their families but also about society at large, he said. During floods, fires and other disasters, Yuva Aapada Mitras must reassure people that help is available, he added.
Coordination with agencies
Ranganath said the volunteers would work alongside disaster response forces and coordinate with various government departments during emergencies. He later distributed certificates to trainees who completed the programme.
Students seek wider HYDRA presence
Several volunteers said the week-long training covered types of fire accidents, safe evacuation methods, flood rescue techniques and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They said greater emphasis on practical sessions improved their preparedness and that they would pass on the knowledge to others.
Some students urged the government to expand HYDRAA services beyond Hyderabad to district headquarters and across the state to strengthen disaster preparedness. They said the training also provided a comprehensive understanding of HYDRAA’s operations.
HYDRAA Additional Commissioner R Sudarshan, Additional Director Varla Papaiah, RFO Jayaprakash, DPVOs Yajna Narayana and Goutham, ADFO Mohan Rao, Shyam Mohan, Inspector Shamsuddin and NDMA consultant Goutham attended the programme.
