The “Raising Day” celebrations of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were organized at SDRF Battalion Headquarters Gandhi Nagar Jammu as well as at SDRF Bn Headquarters Barzulla Srinagar on19.1.2023. The “Raising Day” of the SDRF is celebrated every year after erstwhile Auxiliary Police was renamed as State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in the year 2012. As a part of the celebrations of its 11th Raising Day this year, the Department held the main function at its Gandhi Nagar Battalion Headquarters where Dr. B. Srinivas, IPS, DGP/Commandant General Homeguards/ CD/ SDRF graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. He was received by Mr. Umesh Kumar, IPS, DIG Homeguards Jammu who gave a detailed briefing about the preparations made by the Department for the Raising Day celebrations. In his welcome address, DIG Homeguards gave an appraisal of achievements and contributions made by the SDRF during the last one year. Later, the DGP accompanied by other officers had a round of the preparations made on the occasion and inspected the rescue equipment which were kept on display.
On the occasion, while appreciating the role of personnel of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Commandant General HG/CD/SDRF mentioned that officers/ men of SDRF have done commendable role during different rescue operations and other operational commitments in the recent past particularly during cloudburst at the Holy Cave, evacuation of patients during fire incident at B&J Hospital, rescuing 27 members of nomadic families trapped in snow in Shopian, saving lives of two persons from a 20 feet deep well at Kupwara, rescuing 11 persons during flash floods in Ujah river at Kathua and also helped the administration in evacuating the injured persons besides retrieving the dead bodies of labourers during tunnel collapse at Khooni Nallaha. Giving resume of its contributions, he informed that SDRF has undertaken over 350 rescue operations, 50 mock exercises/drills in addition to over 500 awareness camps/demonstrations in different parts of the Union Territory during the last one year. He also mentioned that under Aapda Mitra programme, over 1500 volunteers across the Union Territory were given training by the SDRF personnel. Expressing satisfaction over the work done by the personnel of SDRF, the Commandant General informed that 2 officers of SDRF were awarded President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service, 15 awarded DGP Medal/Commendation and 6 others were awarded DG CD’s Disc and Commendation Certificate during the year 2022.
The DGP also referred to the remarkable achievements made by the Department in procurement of high end rescue equipment and disaster management tools including Rescue Vehicles, Rope Delivery Guns, Dewatering Pumps, Inflatable/FRP boats, Victim location Cameras, Thermal Imaging Cameras, Life Saving Jackets, Chipping Hammers, Mobile Snow Cutting machines under Modernization and SDRF Scheme Plans. Work on establishment of full-fledged infrastructure for SDRF components at Doda and Samba is under-way. The Department has recently procured land for establishment of independent Headquarters for SDRF component at Reasi. Similarly, establishment of dedicated Control Rooms with all the rescue equipment at the vulnerable areas in the Union Territory is one of the proposals being vigorously pursued with the Government.
Under capacity building, the Commandant General stated that focussed attention is being paid to enhance the skills of the officers/ jawans of the SDRF and mentioned that over 600 SDRF personnel were given specialized training both within and outside the Union Territory in handling the modern rescue equipment besides enhancing their skills and abilities during rescue operations. Mrs. Gurvinder Kour, DySP SDRF 2nd Bn presented vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest and other officers for attending the function. Later, a “Barakhana” was also arranged as a part of the celebrations. A similar function was organized at SDRF Headquarters Srinagar where Mr. Firdous Iqbal, JKPS (SSP), Director Homeguards was the chief guest. Mr. Wasim Qadri, SSP, In Charge Commandant SDRF 1st Bn Srinagar and all other officers/ men of the Battalion at the headquarters were present on the occasion.
