Face2News/Chandigarh
Familiarization Exercise (FAMEx) are being conducted by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Team with the assistance of Chandigarh Administration in UT Chandigarh from 15th July to 27th July, 2024, under which a Mock Exercise on Earthquake Scenario was conducted on Friday at Government Model Senior Secondary School. Sector-21-A, Chandigarh.
For planning, preparation and coordination between the line departments for this mock drill, a Table Top Exercise was conducted yesterday on 25th July 2024 under the Chairmanship of Additional Deputy Commissioner, UT Chandigarh, in DC Office, Sector-17, Chandigarh.
Present during the mock drill were Sh. Amandeep Singh Bhatti, Additional Deputy Commissioner, UT Chandigarh, Sh. D.L. Jhakkar, Assistant Commandant 7th NDRF Bathinda, Ms. Sanjana Vatts, District Youth Officer, Sh. Sanjeev Kohli, Senior Civil Defence Instructor, O/o Deputy Commissioner, UT Chandigarh, Ms. Sukhpal Kaur, Principal, GMSSS-21 and other officials of Chandigarh Administration.
The scenario for today’s mock drill was an earthquake with Solan as epicentre having an impact on Chandigarh, wherein the GMSSS building is compromised and some students are trapped and help been sought from the Administration. The students used DCH technique, i.e., ‘Duck, cover and hold’ drill to save their heads with bags while being brought to assembly area where the head monitor does head count and apprises teacher and authorities.
Surface victims evacuated and taken to medical base for first aid and then to hospital for further treatment by rescue teams including police, fire brigade, apda mitra and civil defence. The NDRF teams arrive with specialized equipment to rescue trapped victims needing specialized response.
Search and detection team, cutting team, rescue and evacuation team will make hole to establish contact with victim and provide them water and basic food for survival. Rescue agencies firstly stabilise the victims before taking them for further medical treatment. Victims are provided green, yellow and red bands so as to prioritise who needs medical assistance on first and foremost basis in case of mass casualty. Finally a canine search is got done to make sure that no more victim is trapped in the casualty area.
The Health department played important role in providing first aid and other necessary medical assistance, The Food and supplies department and Transportation department played an important role as the regular ways of transporting people and other essential items may be compromised in such situations and newer and faster ways have to be installed. Electricity department ensures that no further damage is caused due to unattended electricity supply in the affected area during rescue operations.
Sh. D.L. Jhakkar, Assistant Commandant, 7th NDRF Bathinda, informed that ideally the assembly area is 3 times away the height of building. Police, Fire brigade, civil defence, apda mitra, health department and other important departments also gather and establish their base of operation and wait for instructions of incidence commander.
Ms. Sanjana Vatss, District Youth Officer, apprised that a total of 309 volunteers have been trained and prepared in the disctrict so far and more will be enrolled in coming days. In the last 15 days, such mock drills have done in many schools with an aim to enhance coordination amongst all rescue teams and the final mock drill was done today at GMSSS-21. She ensured that more mock drills shall be done in colleges and universities in the near future.
Sh. Sanjeev Kohli apprised that this drill is followed in all government installations. Such mock drills train practically the rescue teams in implementing knowledge for faster response while working with less resources in such disaster scenarios. Also, such mock drills help find gaps and fill those gaps. After the mock drill, a Plantation drive was also carried out in the school.