The meandering Trishuli River was in a rage due to flooding. A crowd gathered around its vicinity. People fixed their eyes on those who were fighting with the current of the river and pleading for help. Everybody shuddered at the sight.
As each looked at the other with expectant eyes to help them out, a group of boys came on a boat and actually rescued them.
Immediately after that, the nearby hut kindled. Again, there were voices calling for help. And, once more, the sufferers were rescued, successfully.
This was a rescue drill performed for media persons and other guests at Kurintar, Chitwan.
The rescuers were no other than the Armed Police Force boys, who had completed an 11-week training on disaster management. The basic training for the 56 boys included physical fitness, knowledge on disaster and types, rafting, swimming, rock climbing, river crossing, MFR (Medical First Response), fire fighting, dead body management, search in crumbled site and so forth.
It has been six months since their training ended. But the boys have made the country proud through their valor they have shown in some major rescue operations ever since.
As Nepal lies in a disaster prone zone, preparedness and rescue skills are a prerequisite to minimize the risks. In that regard, APF’s training center is the first organized response to filling the gap.
Sanat Kumar Basnet, IGP of the Armed Police Force and the visionary man behind the concept of training the APF boys and preparing them for disasters in the upcoming days, indeed, surely deserves accolades for his long-term thought.
According to the APF Headquarters Information Section, the trained boys have successfully used their new skills during some of the rescue operations.
A French citizen James David Wallance was rescued from Gharikhola of Macchapuchre. Wallance went out of contact while he was flying in a paramotor.
Likewise, a Dutch Ben U Bachs was rescued from the Narayani River, who happened to fall in the river while paragliding.