With drowning deaths becoming a cause for concern in the State, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) is giving shape to a comprehensive project to bring down the casualties.
On October 9, KSDMA will bring together 35 civilian swimming coaches and professionals from the 14 districts and top officials of Fire and Rescue Services Department in a bid to form a “secondary line-up” that would form a part of the civil defence mechanism.
Secondary line-up
“This secondary line-up would act promptly in the event of a mishap. The idea is to link them up with the local Fire and Rescue Services units so that their expertise can be used when needed,” KSDMA member secretary Sekhar L. Kuriakose said.
“Roughly 1,500 people drown in the State every year. Drowning does not fall within the formal definition of disaster, but it is indeed a disaster for the next of kin and a matter of public safety,” he said.
Though the Fire and Rescue Services is called in during a mishap, the local people are invariably the first to respond to a disaster, the reason why the KSDMA is focussing on civilian professionals.
An attempt by the KSDMA to ‘map’ drowning death locations revealed that it is not easy to pinpoint danger zones. On the other hand, mishaps tend to go up during holidays. “Tourist locations can be said to be more vulnerable. But even there you cannot identify specific locations where drowning deaths occur frequently,” Mr. Kuriakose said.
Roadmap
Thursday’s meeting would attempt to create a consensus on drowning prevention and work out a roadmap for rolling out a Statewide project.
