During a recent visit to a mall, I found a small crowd gathered around a woman who was on her knees and looked really unwell. As time passed the number of onlookers increased gradually. Suddenly the emergency rescue team arrived on the scene at a swift pace. There was a big sigh of relief around. But to my utter surprise, due to cultural norms, we found the men-only rescue team giving verbal instructions to the husband accompanying the woman, who was in real agony. The oxygen mask was handed over to the husband and verbal instructions were being given by the team. It was like an infant getting a new toy. The husband had no clue as to what has to be done. He looked confused, embarrassed and to an extent weird.
The whole incidence gave a message loud and clear. It’s time to recruit women in the emergency rescue teams. Each life is precious, cultural barriers should not prevent us from providing timely help. After all rescue teams are there to save life. — Bhaskara Sujeet Kumar, Riyadh
Emergency rescue teams
