Port Blair, Nov 14: The Directorate of Disaster Management A & N Administration has successfully completed two days Training of Trainers programme, as one of its major components of the project under National School Safety Programme (NSSP) today at the Conference Hall of Megapode Nest, Port Blair.

The second day began with a recapitulation of the previous day training which followed up with feedback. Shri Deen Mohammed, Information Officer & In charge State Control Room, Directorate of Disaster Management has elaborated on Emergency Communication and Early Warning System and also spoke in detail about various communication elements that render an institution “well prepared” to manage events during a disaster. Making participants learn through plays and games, it was ensured that not communicating effectively can make a bad situation worse. While detailing communication it was told that gathering of information through reliable source is important and the response teams must disseminate pertinent information. He categorically asked the participants not to be carried by rumour mills in the wake of any event and instead contact the control room’s toll free numbers like 1077, 238880 & 234287.

Shri Dipankar Karmakar, Inspector, A&N Fire Services along with his staff imparted information on basic fire fighting skills and also shed certain myths on fire and handling of fire extinguishers. Later, the fire officials demonstrated various classes of fire and its dousing techniques with the involvement of participants.

Smti. Mimi Singha Roy, Sister Tutor, MPHW/ANM Training School conducted a detailed session on Basic First-Aid techniques during Public Emergency and it was also demonstrated how to perform Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and made it ensured to the participants that only the learned should perform such techniques. Apart from that choking, swallowing of any foreign substance and consecutively removal of those particles explained in detail with demonstrations.

Later in the day, Shri R K Yadav & J S Yadav, Sub-Inspectors and Dy. Team Commanders, NDRF stationed at IRBn Port Mout, Port Blair exhibited their skills with great alacrity beginning from MFR, First Aid, CPR, Collapsed Structure Search Rescue (CSSR) and Search And Rescue (SAR). Apart from these they highlighted how to wear a life jacket and use of rafts and showed the technical know- how of all the state of the art equipments armed by NDRF.

Shri Ashok Kumar Sharma, Director, Directorate of Disaster Management, elaborated in detail on Disaster Preparedness in A & N Islands and the steps taken by the Administration to mitigate the catastrophic affects of Disasters and roles and responsibilities to be performed by the teachers for school children before, during and after disastrous situation.

Dr. Ritu Raj, faculty, NIDM, New Delhi, made a power point presentation on how to hold table top exercise before conducting Mock Drills in schools. Dr. Raj explained that its indispensable to hold table top exercise to conduct a successful mock exercise. She further taught the participants, how to create scenarios and the chain of communication for the Mock Exercise in schools.

Shri Devender Singh, Secretary (Education) addressing at the valedictory session explained that to organise such a mammoth training programme takes a lot of efforts and stated that sincere participation is what we are looking for to meet the objectives. He also thanked the visiting faculty members from NIDM, New Delhi as well to the Directorate of Disaster Management to accommodate 150 teachers for the training programme.

Shri Gyan Singh Asst. Director (Logistics), Directorate of Disaster Management reiterated the fact in the concluding valedictory session that having a full-fledged School Disaster Management Plan in each and every school would make the school community disaster resilient.