Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 18 March 2025
In line with the Chief Secretary’s directive for quarterly mock drills across all departments, the Directorate of Disaster Management, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, conducted a comprehensive earthquake and fire mock drill at the Directorate of Rural Development and Panchayats, Sri Vijaya Puram, on Monday.
The drill, organised in collaboration with the District Administration, Andaman and Nicobar Police, Health Department, Fire Services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Electricity Department, aimed to evaluate the department’s preparedness and response to disaster situations.
Prior to the exercise, officials from various resource departments finalised the earthquake and fire scenarios and outlined the roles and responsibilities of incident command teams during a table-top exercise at 10 AM. The full-scale drill commenced at 11:15 AM, simulating disaster alarms, safe evacuation procedures, emergency communication with the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC – 1070), District Emergency Operation Center (DEOC – 1077), and Emergency Response Support System (ERSS – 112). Teams efficiently executed search and rescue operations, provided first aid, and coordinated resource deployment.
The emergency response teams successfully managed the mock crisis, and after ensuring all safety measures were in place, the Incident Commander issued an ‘All Clear’ signal at 11:45 AM, marking the conclusion of the drill.
Following the exercise, a debriefing session was conducted, where observers commended the active participation of officials and staff. They emphasized the importance of basic life-saving training for all employees to enhance their readiness for real-life emergencies.
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration remains committed to strengthening disaster preparedness across departments to ensure swift and effective responses during crises.