HR College to launch ‘Youth Alert’ drive………Mihika Basu
In order to equip the youth to handle unforeseen disasters like the recent terror attacks, the students of HR College are initiating a new movement, ‘Youth Alert’.
“We have formed a security council, aimed at empowering the youth to combat crisis,” said Ashwin Bhatia, joint secretary, students’ council of HR College. The goal is to train students from different colleges through first-responder workshops, emergency medical services (EMS) training and fire drills.
“Crisis management, how to react in emergencies and evacuation techniques are skills we must learn. We’re trying to create a model that can be used by others,” said Rudreshwar Malkani, a core committee member.
The movement will be launched on Saturday at HR College by Indu Shahani, college principal and sheriff of Mumbai. “We are calling members of student council bodies from various colleges. A select group can be trained, and can train others,” Bhatia said. Disaster management techniques including fire drills, inspection training and EMS training will be given to students. “This youth movement is the need of the hour. These events have brought home the fact that every citizen must do something towards protecting the city they claim to love so much,” Shahani said.
Officials from the fire department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be involved in the training. “I will tell students how they can participate in disaster management. First aid, life-saving training and self-saving training techniques are other aspects I intend to talk about,” said SS Shinde, joint municipal commissioner (disaster management), BMC.