Teaching Life-Saving Skills: a National Imperative
Every monsoon season, Pakistan drowns — not just in floodwaters, but in loss, tragedy, and preventable death. From the streets of Rawalpindi to the valleys of Swat, climate-induced disasters have become a grim routine. But while nature may be relentless, it is human inaction — our collective failure to prepare — that turns crises into catastrophes. In an age where floods are seasonal and climate shocks are rising, one brutal truth stands out: most of the lives lost are not claimed by the force of water, but by a devastating absence of preparedness and basic life-saving skills.
We are not helpless, but we are untrained.
According to global disaster relief data, over 80% of flood-related deaths in low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan are preventable — if only citizens knew what to do in the crucial first moments. Every year, thousands die or suffer irreversible trauma simply because they did not know how to swim, perform CPR, or evacuate safely. Imagine a child, once helpless in rising waters, now leading siblings to higher ground. Picture a father, trained in resuscitation, reviving a neighbor in crisis. This is the transformative power of life-saving skills: they turn ordinary people into first responders and silent heroes in their own communities.
This training is not just about actions — it’s about time. In disasters, the first few minutes are everything. Roads flood. Phones fail. Rescue teams can take hours. But those on the scene — bystanders, neighbors, family — are the only lifelines. These crucial minutes before professional help arrives are where the battle between life and death is often decided. If we want to save lives, we must equip every citizen to be that first line of defense.
Mental readiness is just as critical. Fear paralyzes, panic spreads, and poor decisions escalate danger. But when people are trained — when they’ve rehearsed for the worst — they act with purpose. They adapt, assess, and respond. This mindset, this quiet readiness, can avert tragedy before it even strikes.
So what must be done?
First, Pakistan must embed life-saving skills into its national education system. Starting from middle school, students should learn emergency response, swimming, CPR, and evacuation drills as mandatory subjects — just as essential as math or language. Schools must become incubators of resilience.
Second, a national network of community-based training programs must be launched in partnership with NGOs, civil defense forces, and local governments. These workshops must target flood-prone districts and underserved populations, especially women and children who are often most at risk.
Third, we must mobilize the country’s most powerful messaging tools: media and mosques. Public service campaigns on television, community radio, and social media can normalize survival training. Religious leaders can devote Friday sermons to the sacred value of protecting life and the importance of preparedness — a message grounded in both morality and faith.
Fourth, life-saving skills must become a requirement for all public service roles — from teachers and police officers to health workers and municipal staff. These frontline agents must not only serve but be equipped to save.
Finally, we need a national mindset shift: disaster preparedness must be seen not as charity or reaction, but as duty — a civic responsibility as vital as paying taxes or casting a vote.
In the 21st century, drowning must no longer be a death sentence. Pakistan can no longer afford to treat each flood as an unforeseen tragedy. We have the science, the training models, the community structures — and above all, we have the moral obligation. We owe it to our children, our elders, and ourselves to act before the waters rise again.
Teaching life-saving skills is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
It is policy. It is justice. It is survival.
