July 1, 2019, Cuttak, Odisha : It was a fine sunny Sunday morning, a young, enthusiastic group of Emergency Relief Network (referred as ERN- https://www.wti.org.in/projects/emergency-relief-network-ern/) volunteers were gathered in the banks of Mahanadi near Naraj in Cuttack of Odisha assembled to learn the tactics and techniques of the water rescue method. Most of them were excited about the training, imagining this to be full of fun with a combination of swimming, kayaking etc. But they were brought to the ground with the realities of the water rescue technique. This is an activity of saving lives where water can act both as your guide as well as an enemy. What needed here to expertise the skill are rigorous training, common sense, proper safety measures for both the rescuer and the rescued and a thorough understanding of water. This was the purpose of the training. To prepare the young ERN volunteers for the monsoons, which brings with it the menace of flood almost every year in Odisha.

Water, the source of life, always plays a crucial role in nature and in the lives of living beings. While the scarcity of water brings with it grief in the form of famine, the excess of water creates havoc of devastation in the form of a flood. Natural calamities, such as floods and cyclones, cause destruction at a massive scale. Being an unrelenting act of nature, they not only annihilate human settlements but also leave behind distressed and displaced animals. Such a force of nature can only be tackled by taking pre-disaster preparedness measures. In Odisha, disasters like flood and cyclone is a regular phenomenon, which is the reason for massive destruction in the low lying areas.

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Along with human beings, animals also suffer a lot in times of flood. Saving lives in such a situation becomes critical since the life of the saviour is also at stake in the high level of water during the time of the flood. Intending to extend support in the time of such natural calamities, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), in collaboration with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), has established an active Emergency Relief Network (popularly known as ERN). The network constitutes a team of dedicated volunteers, trained with the advanced skills and techniques to rescue wildlife in the time of flood and cyclone. The team is also equipped with modern and technically upgraded equipment for the rescue with all the safety measures for both the rescuer and the rescued. Rescuing animals from flooded / water-logged areas being risky, this requires extensive training for the ERN members. In this context, IFAW-WTI, during a camp organized by Odisha Maritime Adventures, arranged flood-preparedness training on 16th June 2019. The River Mahanadi was selected for the workshop since this river is notorious for causing widespread displacement of people and animals settled in the floodplains of the river.

The first rule of rescue is to be able to save yourself from disaster. Following this rule, the workshop detailed about the safety precautions to take when navigating a water body in search of stranded animals. The trainees were instructed and demonstrated the four thumb rules of water rescue technique: Throw-Reach-Row-Jump.

After spotting a stranded individual, throwing a lifebuoy or throw bag in their direction allows the individual to grab on to something to keep them afloat. The next step is to reach for the individual through a kayak or Raft, by rowing. The last option a rescuer may resort to if needed is to jump into the water. With the technological era advancing, drones have soared in for support during search and rescue operations. WTI has employed such technology for disaster assessments and rescue operations, as demonstrated in this workshop. Additionally, snorkelling has also become an essential tool for rescuing, as it allows better visibility and effortless breathing under-water.

During such calamities, reaching out to each affected individual becomes a challenging task; thus the ERN team collaborates with local organizations to provide some grants for flood relief. With the help of ERN and Odisha Maritime Adventures, these 17 individuals are now well trained and equipped to not only assist WTI during floods but also conduct flood rescues themselves. While WTI is taking up such workshops to make young volunteers disaster-ready, IFAW has played a significant role in creating a strong foundation of the modern rescue technology with advanced training, world-class safety and rescue equipment and continuous support and guidance.

Rudra Prasanna Mahapatra, the author of the blog is Assistant Manager and State Facilitator for Odisha. He has been on the fore front of ERN undertaken activities. Rudra can be reached out at rudra@wti.org.in

Aradhana helps in managing our rescue operations across India. A keen wildlife conservationist, avid climber and passionate diver, besides the WTI office, she is found in diverse landscapes in search of the wild.