State undertakes exercise to respond to disasters

EM Bureau
Dimapur, August 30 (EMN): To generate awareness among the communities and different agencies and to establish effective mechanism in responding to disaster, a State-wide mega mock drill under the nomenclature Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx) was conducted on August 30.
The exercise began with an emergency siren at the State capital and all the district headquarters, villages and institutions. People in the schools, institutions and offices were asked to respond by a method of drop, cover and hold for two minutes until the siren was sounded for the second time. State Emergency Operation Centre and District Emergency Operation Centres were activated during the emergency exercise. Volunteers from different departments and villages participated in the mock drill.

MOKOKCHUNG: As part of the mock drill, an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) consisting of Logistics section, Planning section, Operation section, Relief camp, Medical camp, and Incident command post were set up at Imkongmeren Sports Complex under the command of Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner.
The exercised began at 1100 hours where the Deputy Commissioner, Mokokchung, Sushil Kumar briefed the SDRF jawans, AR jawans, medical personnel, Fire fighters and others at EOC on a simulation effect of an earthquake at 8.4 magnitudes on Richter scale along with heavy rain, received from Community First Responder (CRF).
The mock drill was conducted at MMC Complex on simulation of leaning ladder rescue and collapse structure rescue; at DC office complex on high rise fire rescue; at MGHSS on evacuation exercise and at Gurudwara on fire rescue in residential areas simultaneously.
During the exercise, emergency response team carry out search and rescue, attend to casualties and injured victims, evacuation of casualties to the nearest medical Centre. The exercise also included fire services and road clearance teams.
T Lemlila Sangtam, said the drill involves all the district functionaries to make aware of their specific function to be played by each department when disaster strike, adding the main players during the exercise included, CFR, ToTs, SDRF (HG&CD) and others.

DIMAPUR: In Dimapur district, the mock exercise began with the sounding of the siren at 11 a.m. followed by activation of Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) in the Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall in which the DC called for an emergency briefing of the DDMA Dimapur members and HODs to apprise them of the disaster.
The area for staging all resources, manpower, machineries etc was set up at the Indoor Stadium Sports complex, Dimapur, and a relief camps was set up at the DDSC stadium.
The mock drill showed a scenario where the search and rescue team evacuated people from different levels of buildings who were trapped. It also simulated the injured persons being rushed to the Civil Hospital Dimapur by ambulances for treatment and the dead being shifted to the morgues. It also created a scenario where people with injuries were given treatment on the spot by the medical team.
After completion of the mock drill, debriefing was held in the DC’s conference hall. During the debriefing, GC Khanal from the Sikkim Disaster Management Authority and the chief observer, suggested for more trainings to be imparted to the community. He observed that students and office goers should be trained adding mock drills should be conducted often.
He further commented that NGOs must be involved during the mock drills. Stating that the performances of search and rescue team were satisfactory, all observers lauded the medical team for the systematic and orderly arrangements.
An observer has sought involvement of Home Guards, personnel from Mahilas and NAP in the search and rescue operations. He, however, expressed concern on the shortage of emergency ambulances, expansion of wireless communication range etc.

TUENSANG: Nagaland Emergency Preparedness exercise in Tuensang was conducted at four locations namely DBs’ Court on high rise rescue, District Agriculture Office on fire incident, Bazaar on search, rescue and evacuation and St. John Higher Secondary School for mass evacuation respectively.
The whole activities included 5 local observers and one central observer namely H Lalduatta from Mizoram.

PEREN: As part of the State wide Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx), Peren district conducted a mock drill at Peren local ground on August 30. The mock drill was conducted with Incident Response System (IRS) headed by S Tainiu, ADC Peren.
Exactly at 1100 hours, the siren was sounded where all the Incident Response Team gathered at the Emergency Operation Centre, where Zarenthung Ezung, Deputy Commissioner, Peren, Response Officer NEPEx, Peren, briefed the team and swung into action. The program ended around 12:30 PM.

PHEK: Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) conducted an emergency preparedness exercise at Phek town on August 29 and 30.
On August 29, Phek Incident Response Team held a programme on Incident Response System in the DC’s conference hall with ADC and Incident Commander (IC), K Mhathang Tsangla as the chairperson. Urban Development Officer Khate-u and the District Project Associate Vekuzo were the resource persons.
On August 30, the mock exercises were held at Phek Government College, Government Higher Secondary School, Bethany-1 Colony and Jericho Colony Phek to test the preparedness of government officers in responding to impending disaster.

MON: Mon District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) organised an emergency preparedness exercise (NEPEx) on August 29 and 30 at district headquarters.
On August 29, a table-top exercise was conducted in the DC’s conference hall headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Mon, to discuss on the emergency preparedness exercise.
On August 30, a mock drill was carried out at different locations such as GHSS, Kongjong Higher Secondary School, District Hospital, Lucy’s Shopping complex, CMO Office, DEO office, AGM (NST) office, Jahjon & Techahan Ward, Tanlao & Wagiem ward and Chingai & Tompang ward.
Altogether, 120 volunteers from Wangkhao Government College and 40 volunteers for community first response from Walo, Jahjon, Wagiem and Tanlao ward have participated in the mock drill.

WOKHA: As part of disaster preparedness, Wokha conducted a mock drill at six locations on August 30. Demonstration at Police Point (‘A’ & ‘B’) witnessed high rise building rescue works, while at Power House on fire scenario, at DBHSS on building collapse rescue, at GHSS on fire scenario and at Etsutchukha colony on collapse building rescue operation.
Ada Lawrence, Assistant IT specialist from SDMA Sikkim and observer for Wokha, advised to strengthen the activities and works accordingly to the situation or disaster. She appreciated all the department officers, volunteers for their participation.
District Disaster Management (DDM) Wokha also organised a two-day programme on August 28 and 29 in the DC’s hall Wokha to highlight the works and duties assigned to all the departments chaired by Athrong, EAC Wokha, while Thavaseelan, ADC Wokha, explained the role of rescue operation and its command staff.