GUWAHATI, Dec 18 - A district-level joint mock drill on earthquake disaster management was conducted here today so as to ensure effective response by all stakeholders and officials in case of an emergency.
The 1st Bn NDRF participated in the mock exercise drill and also assisted the Assam State Disaster Management Authority in planning and coordination at the initial stage.
Along with the NDRF, other stakeholders like the SDRF, Civil Defence, Fire Service, 108 ambulance service, police, volunteers from the community and NGOs also participated in the exercise.
During the exercise, NDRF rescuers used various extrication methods like rope rescue, high-rise rescue and victim stabilization as demonstration.
Observing on the exercise, SK Sastri, Offg Commandant, 1st Bn NDRF, said, �Such exercises ensure activation and prompt response of all stakeholders in a district and such frequent mock drills also make the district response system more effective and result-oriented at the time of an actual disaster. Mock drills provide suitable platform and sustainable mechanism for State and Central authorities for synchronization and rapid employment of rescuers at district/State levels. These exercises should be frequently conducted in every district as the whole NE region falls under a high-risk zone in terms of earthquake.�
In today�s mock exercise, around 1,500 persons representing the district authority, NGOs and local public were involved in the joint mock drill. After the exercise, a debriefing session was conducted in which the role of the NDRF was appreciated by the gathering and district administration for successfully conducting the joint mock drill.
The mock drill concluded in the evening with a note to organise more such exercises in future so that response operations can be effectively carried out during earthquakes to save precious human lives.
