Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) home department will stage a National Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx) across the state on August 30 at 11 a.m consisting of a mega mock exercise.
Briefing media persons at his office chamber, home commissioner, Temjen Toy informed that Nagaland being the 5th seismic zone, prone to earthquake, whereby August 30 exercise would be largely on earthquake and the scenario will be 8.4 intensity earthquakes all over the state.
Toy appealed the public not to panic but to cooperate with the authorities for smooth conduct of the mock exercise as such drills/exercise have proven to be most useful as they increase awareness as well as equip the citizens to respond appropriately during times of actual disasters.
He lamented that people considered such mock drill as a child’s play but it was not and said everything would be for real except the actual disaster and casualties but this was to prepare “our” effectiveness on resilience to meet with any kind of disaster.
Citing the instances of the fire that broke out at chief minister’s official residence earlier, he said though it was not natural disaster yet the response was poor, people ran out in the streets, VIPs rushing to CM’s place with pilots and escorts (to show solidarity) and the fire engine could not reach on time because the roads were blocked. He said one must be prepared if actual disaster took place and should know how to react and how to respond. He said it would be a very important exercise starting from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) right down to the last SDRF personnel.
Toy said this exercise would also test the strength and weakness of the department which would have a debriefing with all the districts and see whether any lapses were there. He appealed the public to take it seriously. OSD NSDMA Johnny said sixteen locations were earmarked in Kohima district that would last for about two hours. He said SDRF involving home guards, civil defence in eight districts and all the Alfa companies of IRP, DEF and the village guards for Tuensang and Kiphiri were trained having strength of more than 1000 trained personnel in the state.
KOHIMA: As part of the preparation for Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx), the Kohima district table top exercise was held on August 29 at DC office.
According to DIPR report, ADC, Kohima, T.L. KiusungmongTikhir chaired the programme and informed that a mega mock drill would be held at one go in the state on August 30. He pointed that it was an opportunity for everyone to prepare for the actual eventuality.
The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) informed that the NDM has been actively conducting exercises for over six years. NSDMA further informed that the mega mock drill on Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx) would be conducted every year. 16 important locations have already been identified for the exercise. The central Indian Army and the National Disaster Management Authority would be the field observers. The general public has also been informed that the siren would blow for 2 minutes at 11 a.m, after which the actual mock drill would begin. Different Incident Response System Team has been set up, to monitor the problems arising during the mock drill.
PEREN: A two-day programme on Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx) from August from 29 to 30 began at old Peren on Tuesday, organised by the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA). ADC Peren S. Tainu chaired the programme.
ZUNHEBOTO: In Zunheboto the NEPEx table top exercise was held at DC’s conference hall, wherein DC T. Roy in his keynote address stated that Nagaland was prone to disasters like earthquakes, landslides, mudslides and cloudburst for which we must be well prepared. He urged upon all the stakeholders that disaster came without any warning and so the officials and the citizen needed to be prepared for any eventuality. During the exercise, district commandant, Home Guard and Civil Defence, Y. Khenito Chishi spoke on role of responsible officers and its command and operation section while SDO (C), Er. Namang Chang Sepong gave a briefing on planning, logistic section and mock drill. EAC, Wiridin chaired the program.
WOKHA: Wokha district would be conducting mock drill on August 30 in drill five locations, (commercial & residential) namely police point, power house (Tsumang colony), GHSS, DBHSS and Etsuchuka colony. Rescue & operation and evacuation of injured and casualties during emergency would be demonstrated. Fire scenario and rescue of high rise unstable building would be demonstrating in the specified identified locations. In this regard a meeting was held at DC conference hall Wokha on August 29. During the meeting the sections chiefs like operation, planning and logistic, district commandant HG & CD, district planning officer and addl. SP TokaviAchumi, highlighted and briefed the members about their roles and assignments to various units, sections and divisions involved during the exercise. ADC, Wokha Thavaseelan highlighted the role of RO and its command staff. The meeting was chaired by EAC, Wokha Athrong.