Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 26 May 2025
A comprehensive Earthquake and Fire Mock Drill was conducted at the Isolation Ward of G.B. Pant Hospital, Sri Vijaya Puram, on May 23 as part of a quarterly safety exercise mandated by the Chief Secretary. The drill was aimed at evaluating the hospital’s emergency response and preparedness, particularly among paramedical staff.
The exercise began with a simulated earthquake followed by a fire outbreak. Hospital staff, including paramedics and patients, followed the ‘Duck, Cover and Hold’ earthquake safety protocol and evacuated to a designated safe area in a coordinated manner.
Dr. Arpita Saha, Additional Medical Superintendent of G.B. Pant Hospital, led the operation as the Incident Commander. Following a headcount, it was reported that 11 individuals were missing. The Incident Commander immediately activated search and rescue teams. Meanwhile, a simulated fire scenario near the mortuary prompted the ward’s fire response team to initiate firefighting measures.
Personnel from the Fire Department, Police, District Administration, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) swiftly arrived at the site. Under the guidance of the Incident Commander, all agencies worked in tandem to contain the fire, rescue the missing, and provide first aid. Injured individuals were attended to by on-site doctors, and those requiring advanced care were transported to the main hospital.
The mock drill concluded with an “All Clear” signal issued at 12:15 pm.
During the debriefing session, Mr. Janik Ram, Assistant Director of the Directorate of Disaster Management, lauded the timely and effective response of the medical and support staff. Dr. B. Ajith Kumar and Dr. Rajeev Ghosh, Nodal Officers from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), expressed gratitude to all participating departments for their cooperation in ensuring the success of the exercise. (Story Based on PR)