DIMAPUR: Department of Health & Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), conducted a tabletop exercise (TTX) on a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) mock drill for Hornbill Festival 2026 at the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), Capital Convention Centre, Kohima, on Friday.
The exercise was aimed at strengthening preparedness, coordination and response mechanisms among various departments and agencies for managing a potential mass casualty incident during the Hornbill Festival, which attracts large numbers of visitors and tourists.
According to a report, the exercise was based on a simulated scenario involving a bomb hoax during the inaugural programme at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, followed by a stampede that resulted in multiple casualties.
The scenario was designed to facilitate discussion on emergency response, casualty management, evacuation procedures and inter-agency coordination.
Key areas of deliberation included command and control under the Incident Response System (IRS), triage and treatment at the incident site, ambulance deployment, hospital preparedness, VVIP medical arrangements, crowd management, scene safety, communication and media management.
The exercise also examined the roles and responsibilities of various agencies at different levels of care, including the incident site, Kisama Medical Centre and designated receiving hospitals. Discussions focused on casualty identification and categorisation, evacuation procedures, availability of medical resources, hospital capacity and coordination between the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) and the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC).
Officials from the Department of Health & Family Welfare, NSDMA, DDMA Kohima, Police, Fire & Emergency Services, Home Guards, Civil Defence & SDRF, 12 Battalion NDRF, Directorate of Tourism, Chief Medical Officer Kohima, Naga Hospital Authority Kohima, 154 General Hospital, Indian Red Cross Society and other concerned agencies participated in the exercise.
The participants also discussed preparations for the live MCI mock drill scheduled for November 20, 2026, at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.
The exercise is expected to test preparedness levels, operational arrangements and inter-agency coordination among the participating departments and response agencies.
The tabletop exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen multi-agency coordination and ensure a timely, organised and effective response to emergencies during Hornbill Festival 2026.
