AFSA work with the UK Fire & Rescue Service and supporting agencies to enhance equality and diversity, and associated values. In Pakistan, they continue to assist emergency services in their development and opened their first international office at the newly established Emergency Services Academy in Pakistan.

FIRE AID Steering Committee member, the Asian Fire Service Association (AFSA), work with the UK Fire & Rescue Service and supporting agencies to enhance equality and diversity, and associated values. In Pakistan, they continue to assist emergency services in their development and opened their first international office at the newly established Emergency Services Academy in Pakistan in 2015.

AFSA is an independent inclusive employer led support group which works to raise the profile of Asian staff and associated issues. At present it has 29 Fire and Rescue services and 3 non FRS organisations who are members. They work to mainstream subjects around equality and diversity in two priority areas: Service Provision and Delivery, and, Employment Policy and Practice.

The AFSA Team in Pakistan funded by FIRE AID

AFSA also works in cooperation with Punjab Emergency Services to aid their development. In 2015, funded by FIRE AID, AFSA Interim Chair Mehrban Sadiq, General Secretary Yasmin Bukhari, and AFSA Volunteer Keith Trotter (Tyne and Wear FRS) travelled to Pakistan to continue AFSA’s valuable work in Punjab. The team held a series of meetings and stakeholder workshops to further develop their work in the region. A key activity was the opening of AFSA’s first international office at the newly established Emergency Services Academy in Pakistan from where collaboration between Rescue 1122 (the Punjab Emergency Service) and AFSA will be managed. Rescue 1122 is the largest emergency humanitarian service of Pakistan with infrastructure in all 36 districts of Punjab and provides technical assistance to other provinces. Rescue 1122 has rescued over 3.18 million victims of emergencies through its Ambulance, Rescue & Fire services, and Community Emergency Response Teams covering a population of over 80 million: Read More

AFSA is represented by Jagtar Singh and Yasmin Bukhari on the FIRE AID Committee who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the organisation. For more information about the wonderful work of AFSA and how to get involved please visit their website: http://afsa.co.uk/

The active AFSA Facebook page is viewable here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AFSA-Asian-Fire-Service-Association/112385012162311/