GUWAHATI, Sept 23 - Maligaon-headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has undertaken a number of joint mock drills with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in recent months, and railway officials said this has helped them to achieve a better position of preparedness in dealing with any disaster or emergency to complement with established systems.
�In order to ensure that response to all eventualities like derailments and natural disaster are prompt and immediate, NF Railway Safety Organisation has conducted a number of joint mock drills with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF),� said NFR Chief Public Relations Officer PJ Sharma.
He added, �These joint exercises have helped the railways to achieve a better position of preparedness to complement well established system like Accident Relief Trains (ARTs) and Accident Relief Medical Equipment (ARME) vans which are kept in a state of readiness in nominated stations all over the railways.�
As part of the drive, Tinsukia Division of NFR conducted joint mock drill with 1st Bn NDRF, Azara and SDRF on July 29. Besides the full squad of Railway Breakdown Staff of Tinsukia Division, railway officers of Tinsukia Division and Headquarter also participated in the exercise.
The Rangiya Division conducted a joint exercise on July 10 at the New Bongaigaon yard with 1st Bn NDRF, Azara.
Earlier, the Lumding Division conducted a joint mock exercise at the New Guwahati yard with 1st Bn NDRF, Azara.
Similar joint exercises were also conducted by the Alipurduar and Katihar divisions of NFR.
All joint mock exercises were led by the Commanding Officer of NDRF, Chief Safety Officer of NFR and Nodal Officer of NFR Headquarter.
�In these mock drills, a coach is derailed and kept tilted with the help of a 140-tonne breakdown crane to simulate an accident. Volunteers posting as injured passengers trapped inside the coach are rescued by cutting open the widow bars and the coach body panel with the help of hydraulic rescue devices and disc-saws and taken to the temporary medical relief camp on stretchers. Communication equipment are also installed at the spot along with emergency lighting equipment,� Sharma said.
