On the initiative of the Government of India, the first “Bay of Bengal Initiative For Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Corporation, Disaster Management Exercise (BIMSTEC DMEx)”-2017 is being organized in New Delhi and NCR region from October 10-13, 2017. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is the nodal agency for conducting this Exercise with the support of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Today a Joint Field Training Exercise on Earthquake Disaster (Collapsed Structure Search & Rescue) was conducted at NTH Complex, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad with the active participation of all seven member nations of BIMSTEC- Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. Delegates/Rescue Teams from all seven nations have participated with great zeal in this training exercise.
For the purpose of giving it the actual feel of disaster (Exercise), a Custom Check Post, Reception & Departure Centre (RDC), Multi Nation Coordination Centre, On-Site Operation Coordination Centre (OSOCC), Command Post, Communication Centre, Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), Community Centre, Base Medical Station & Rehabilitation Centre were properly established by NDRF as per the International Search & Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) guidelines for familiarization & exercise purpose at NTH Complex, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad. In the beginning, functioning & response mechanism of all Centres including International Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) mechanism & Coordination Structure were briefed to all the delegates and participating teams by NDRF officials. To familiarise the delegates with the various state-of-the-art equipment, an exhibition on disaster response equipment was also held at the NTH Complex, Ghaziabad with the active participation of the Private Firms.
As per the scenario painted, it was presumed that thousands of buildings collapsed after an impact of earthquake (magnitude on Richter Scale 7.8) in National Capital Region (NCR) and Northern part of the country. Large number of people were expected to be trapped under debris of the collapsed structure. Retrieval of injured from collapsed house was a mammoth task for the responders and the Central Government agencies. Considering the huge impact of the disaster, BIMSTEC member countries offered assistance to the Government of India which was accepted.
Rescue Teams of all BIMSTEC nations promptly responded as per their assigned role and demonstrated quick response, CSSR skills/professional capabilities with the help of hi-tech equipment to extricate trapped victims from debris of the collapsed structures. Trained canines were also used for tracing the trapped victims. Various state-of-the-art disaster management gadgets and tools were also effectively utilized by the rescue teams to trace out the trapped victims from the debris.
Joint Field Training Exercise was conducted under the overall supervision of Shri Sanjay Kumar, Director General, NDRF and was witnessed by representatives from Senior Officers of MHA, MEA, NDMA, NDRF, Army, State representatives & other senior dignitaries.
A summing up session was held at NTH Complex, Kamla Neharu Nagar, Ghaziabad to get feedback from the participating delegates. All the delegates appreciated the efforts of Govt. of India and BIMSTEC Secretariat. The delegates were impressed by the efforts of NDRF in hosting this mega event.
In the series of this Exercise, a Joint Field Training Exercise on Flood Rescue Technique will be conducted at Yamuna Barrage, Wazirabad, Delhi tomorrow. Further, on October 13, 2017 a session of After Action Review (AAR) will be followed with de-briefing session and closing ceremony.
The four-day BIMSTEC DMEx-2017 was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh yesterday.
