More than 30 members of the Kenya’s National Disaster Management Unit, have increased their capacity to be more effective first responders to disasters such as earthquakes, collapsed buildings and other emergencies.
This follows an intensive eight day Urban Search and Rescue training delivered by the UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR) Team at the Disaster Risk Battalion in Nairobi.
The UK-ISAR training team comprises experienced members of several UK Fire and Rescue services.
The train-the-trainer model has been delivered at both strategic and tactical levels benefitting officers from the National Disaster Management Unit of the Kenya Police and the Disaster Response Battalion in the military.
The British High Commission’s Development Director Leigh Stubblefield said disasters such as earthquakes, industrial accidents, collapse of buildings and floods continue to pose serious challenges not just in Kenya but in the UK and across the world.
“It is imperative that upon the onset of such disasters, there is effective national response in search and rescue so that more lives are saved, and we are proud of this partnership to learn from the best of the Kenyan teams and share our own experience with them.”
This training has covered key skills including assessment and search techniques that will help in looking for victims for example upon earthquakes or collapse of buildings.
The trained first responders will also be able to assess safety of buildings through structural monitoring, shoring, lifting and moving collapsed infrastructure and clearing debris.
This initiative will significantly strengthen Kenya’s emergency response capabilities, equipping first responders with advanced skills in responding to disaster scenarios.
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