ABOUT THIS ISSUE Preface

ities are complex urban systems am happy that the All Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) has Cwhich harness the synergies dedicated an issue on the Emergency Management Exercise (EMEx) in among individuals, infrastructure I Assam. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been closely and institutions for achieving human associated with various initiatives of Assam State Disaster Management welfare. However, during disasters Authority (ASDMA), particularly focussed on Disaster Risk Reduction and emergencies the coordination between these stakeholders in a city (DRR) and Mitigation. It is heartening to see that since 2012, the ASDMA has gets extremely strained. graduated on to conduct of EMExs at District level. Considering the vulnerability of Assam to multi-hazards, these exercises have enabled greater The Indian state of Assam is highly awareness of the community and enhanced capacity of agencies and various prone to disaster and climate risks. forces responsible for response. A burgeoning population and haphazard planning further drive up While attending the GEMEx 2015, I was happy to see the zeal and enthusiasm the vulnerability of Assam's cities of the people, particularly the youth. Table Top Exercise conducted as part of to such risks. GEMEx validated the Incident Response System (IRS) which has been adopted by the ASDMA. Collaborative support extended by AIDMI to ASDMA and This issue of Southasiadisasters.net all DDMAs to conduct Table Top and EMExs in various districts has indeed focuses on the theme of Emergency enhanced DRR and mitigation capacity of all stakeholders. I am sanguine Management Exercises (EMExes) in that such initiatives will contribute towards making Assam disaster resilient. Assam. The Assam State Disaster – Lt Gen NC Marwah, PVSM, AVSM (Retd) Management Authority (ASDMA) Member, National Disaster Management Authority, New Delhi recently organized a series of EMExs February 14, 2015 across several cities of Assam. The objective of such exercises was to bring together various actors such as state and regional emergency responders, educational institutions, , health care professionals, humanitarian agencies, government departments, non-government organisations, civil society organisations and professionals from emergency management- related fields - to assess the cities' disaster preparedness and resilience, acquire new skills for emergency management and mass casualty events, and to develop a multi-

disciplinary, inter-stakeholder, All photographs in this issue by AIDMI. coordinated response during emergencies. Guwahati Emergency Management Exercise (GEMEx) This issue highlights the recently held EMExs from the various cities is Excellency Mr. Traun Gogoi, Honourable Chief Minister of Assam of Assam such as Guwahati, Nalbari, and Chairman of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dhubri, H (ASDMA) addressing the jam-packed crowd of participants from 11 different Sibsagar, Darrang, and Sonitpur. training tracks during the inaugural ceremony of GEMEx 2015. His Excellency Preparedness and coordination are Mr. Bhumidhar Barman, Honourable Minister for Revenue and Disaster crucial for an effective response to emergencies. Read on to know more Management, Mr. V.K Pipersania, Honourable Chief Secretary, Government on how these EMExes are helping in of Assam and other dignified guests paying attention to CM’s inaugural inculcating a culture of preparedness address. The All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) being partner of among the first responders to GEMEx 2015 and also a facilitator of ‘School Disaster Preparedness’ track, disasters in Assam's cities. joined the initiative to build the city disaster preparedness and also measure – Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI the impact from GEMEx 2012 to GEMEx 2015. – Mihir R. Bhatt, AIDMI

2 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 PREPAREDNESS Journey from 2012 to 2015: A Sincere Effort in Improving Preparedness for Emergency Response

he recent misery visited to the the recently agreed global climate of preparedness for effective Tresidents of Chennai by actions during the Conference of emergency response. EMEXs were unprecedented flooding highlights Parties 21 (COP21). However, the developed to promote awareness of the fragility of India's urban centres commitments in these global urban disaster risks and to examine, to the vagaries of nature. Ailed by frameworks can only be achieved test, evaluate, and assess a city's haphazard urban planning, rampant through local actions. This is because emergency/disaster response encroachment of ecosystems for disasters are local and the result of capabilities. It was hoped that this construction purposes and an such global initiatives must translate would allow the system's strengths unbridled increase in population, into improved resilience at local levels. and weaknesses as well as the areas India's cities have been rendered which need additional capacity- extremely vulnerable to climate and Building urban resilience at the local building to be identified, ultimately disaster risks. Climate change has level is a broad policy objective leading to the overall improvement enhanced this vulnerability even which can neither be achieved nor in managing disasters and further. gauged through isolated initiatives. emergencies. It was also hoped that There is an inherent need for over- bringing together the various key Sustainable urban development arching initiatives that enhance agencies involved in emergency echoes in the agenda of all the major preparedness and improve local management would enable them to humanitarian commitments finalized emergency response in India's cities. network, coordinate and work more in 2015. These include the Sendai effectively. Framework for Disaster Risk Emergency Management Exercises Reduction (SFDRR), Sustainable have been one such tool which EMExes are the latest installment in a Development Goals (SDGs) and now contributed in increasing the levels series of successful emergency

"Disasters have become really uncertain the way climate change is affecting their frequency and intensity. I believe this Emergency Management Exercise is the need of the hour to keep our system prepared for any uncertain catastrophe. Guwahati has grown to become the giant urban centre for the North-East. However, being in seismic zone V, our development is always at risk and we must keep ourselves prepared to face any eventuality in future." – His Excellency Mr. Tarun Gogoi, Honorable Chief Minister, Government of Assam, during the Inaugural Ceremony of GEMEx, 2015

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 3 day long exercise covered eleven "I must congratulate Assam for being a parallel training tracks on themes like leader in organizing EMExes in India. I school disaster preparedness, search have asked other states of the North-East and rescue, emergency to join GEMEx, 2015 to learn how these preparedness for doctors, emergency events are organized by Assam State management planning for hospital Disaster Management Authority and to administrators, emergency nursing replicate the same in their own states." care, public health in emergencies, – Lt. General N. C Marwah, industrial and chemical disaster Honorable Member, National Disaster preparedness, minimum initial Management Authority, during the services package, coordination of inauguration of Field Drill of GEMEx, 2015 response for senior government training initiatives devised by the decisive response during the GEMEx, officials, orientation training for United Nations Disaster 2012, it was decided that such exercises engineers on earthquake safety and Management Team in conjunction should be conducted repeatedly in the community based disaster with the National Knowledge city and commitments were made to management. These tracks covered Commission of India, the University re-organize such an event in near more than 800 participants from of Mumbai, the All India Disaster future. Moving further down scaling different institutions covering Mitigation Institute, and the Harvard the modalities, the state also took engineers, doctors, police, SDRF, Fire Humanitarian Initiative. These were: further interest in covering up other and Emergency Services, educational training in disasters and mock drills major cities and district headquarter institutions, community leaders, for the Civil Hospital towns in a phased manner. Thus, from humanitarian agencies and (2007), a conference in emergency November 2012 till December 2015, government officials. medicine (2007), organized jointly the Assam State Disaster with the New York-Presbyterian Management Authority successfully This was again a unique opportunity Hospital and Hinduja Hospital), and organized several EMExes in cities for the city to test its state of Project Mumbai Voices (an on-going and towns including Jorhat (2013), preparedness and to fill up the gaps project organised since 2006 to collect Silchar (2013), Dibrugarh (2014), identified during previous EMEx in the voices of survivors from Nagaon (2014), Barpeta (2015) and 2012. This exercise provided yet terrorism incidents in Mumbai). Bongaigaon (2015). another opportunity for the EMEXes as city wide exercises were emergency responders, hospitals and conducted in some of the most The second such exercise in the city administration to improve disaster prone cities Mumbai (2008, of Guwahati was organized recently coordination of response for 2010), Chennai (2011), Delhi (2012), from 14th to 18th December 2015 to minimizing losses during any Guwahati (2012) etc. keep this movement of urban risk disaster. This exercise has resulted in reduction alive. This was an event identifying areas of improvement for Localizing EMExes–The Assam Context locally organized and nationally effective preparedness and profound Guwahati, the capital of North- facilitated involving faculties from response to any city level eastern state of Assam in India has different expert institutions. This five catastrophe. – AIDMI Team witnessed its first Emergency Management Exercise in 2012 and "I am thankful to Assam State Disaster since then the State localized this Management Authority for successfully exercise as its DRR strategy. The organizing this mega event. We must impact of this citywide exercise was acknowledge that Guwahatis' development is so powerful that it appealed to the haphazard and is vulnerable to disasters like policy makers and political earthquake, landslides, floods, storms etc. We leadership of the state as the need of must find out whether our buildings can survive the hour for the state and resulted in earthquakes, whether our roads will allow rescue a series of EMExes in various cities vehicles, ambulances, etc. to move after any and towns of the State. The GEMEx, disaster. This is a real worry and this exercise is the best way forward to test 2012 was a large success in terms of our existing preparedness and gaps for being able to meet any catastrophe collective action, participation, and in future." – His Excellency Dr. Bhumidhar Barman, creation of learning opportunities. Honorable Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Inspired and energized by active and Assam, during inauguration of field drill of GEMEx, 2015

4 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 CHILDREN AND DISASTERS Child Centered DRR–The Thematic Focus in GEMEx 2015

couple of themes were given Aspecial attention during the recently concluded Guwahati Emergency Management Exercise (GEMEx). Just like in its previous version in 2012, children were included as key stakeholders in GEMEx 2015 as well. AIDMI, which leverages the experience and commitment to uphold the rights of children to a safe life was again invited by GEMEx organizers to facilitate the school disaster preparedness training track.

The school disaster preparedness track was re-designed in this EMEx to three days course where teachers were participants for the first two days and children were involved during the last day of the training. This was a unique opportunity for the teachers and students to explore the domain of school safety with special emphasis upon emergency response. Two students presenting the findings of Vulnerability assessment of Don Boscho AIDMI used its decade long expertise school during third day of training of School Disaster Preparedness at GEMEx, in structuring the module for GEMEx 2015. 2015 which has lessons and reflections from previous EMExes particularly targeted to yield high relevance to Involvement of children brought from those held in Guwahati. the context of the EMEx and the role another insight into the training on of educational institutions, teachers the third day. A house filled with Around 80 teachers from different and department for ensuring effective more than 50 children from across schools of Guwahati along with disaster response through different schools representing representatives from the department preparedness. different age group and levels of of education were taken through understanding, was unique in itself participatory and activity based It was emphasized that the for an important event. They were journey of technical sessions which participants recognize and also given basic conceptual included concepts and background understand their roles in a city level understanding and background, were buildings; conduct of participatory catastrophe in ensuring safety of involved in working out hazard, hazard, vulnerability and capacity school children, coordination with vulnerability and capacities of the assessment of Don Bosco school (the responding agencies, the DEOC etc. Don Bosco School and were also training venue); school disaster Participants were also shown given orientation on conduct of mock management planning process; successful stories of prepared drills. What made the children more success stories from model SDMP response resulting in reduction of loss lively and involved was the conduct implementation in schools of of lives using audio-visuals. of mock drill practical. This was Guwahati; conduct of mock drills; fire Participants were also active in unique since the children not only safety protocols (by State Fire Service sharing experiences and responding learnt some basic skills and Organization) etc. The sessions were to queries raised in the mid of sessions knowledge but also used it in practice

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 5 to get hands on experience. Children 2. Areas of Improvement: Children are no doubt among the were able to visualize and respond a. Require more practice with most vulnerable if disasters are to catastrophic event through the teachers as hands on will looked at, however, their mock drills. improve skills involvement in preparedness will b. Quality of food should be improved significantly contribute to The overall training was perceived minimizing risks to disasters. This successful both on the part of 3. Recommendation for future initiative sets an example of child facilitators and participants. Feedback EMExes: centered DRR gradually getting for the track as summarized based on a. More training should be mainstreamed through concerted participants and facilitators' provided for teachers capacity efforts of the authorities. AIDMI responses include the following: building and the support should through facilitating the three days be continuous and not limited to training track re-affirmed its 1. Strengths of the training track: only one event commitment to uphold child's right a. All the topics discussed are very b. Time of the training should be to safety and involving children as important for school. increased both for teachers and agents of resilience building. In b. Experts are excellent students future events, AIDMI will emphasize c. Audio visual aid and c. Practical sessions should be on balancing time between theory presentations were objective and more for teachers and practices and should also work appealing as well as very much out an overall increase in duration relevant to the theme Involvement of children would be for both teachers and students. key in any such future event. – AIDMI Team

URBAN RESILIENCE Scaling Down the Idea of EMExs in Districts of Assam–the Approach of ASDMA

mergency Management Exercises 27 districts are vulnerable either to Guwahati Emergency Management E(EMEx) are a week-long series of earthquake, flood, erosion, Exercise was organized in trainings and workshops that are landslides, urban flood and storms collaboration with NDMA – Govt. of designed to explore and strengthen besides various manmade disasters. India, UNICEF and number of leading the emergency response systems in Entire Northeast region falls under humanitarian institutions and India's disaster-prone cities. It brings seismic zone V making the entire international faculties. GEMEx 2012 together a variety of actors in disaster state prone to earthquake of moderate involved approx 1500 persons from and emergency management – State to very high intensity. Assam has a various responding agencies, district and regional emergency responders, history of disasters ranging from administrations and faculties of 15 educational institutions, hospitals, large earthquakes to severe floods. training tracks. This was acclaimed health care professionals, This has impeded the development to be the first ever mega-exercise of humanitarian agencies, government gains of the state by many times. this type conducted in North-East departments, non-government Moreover, majority of the population India after Mumbai and Chennai organisations, civil society of the state is vulnerable to perennial EMEx. Looking at the ability of the organisations and professionals from floods& landslides every year during EMExs in building strength and emergency management-related monsoon season. This calls for the capabilities for emergency response fields – to assess the cities' disaster need of conduct of such EMExs so as during disaster &emergency preparedness and resilience, acquire to respond effectively in any type of situations, there was a felt need of new skills for emergency eventuality and to minimize the spreading out effective disaster management and mass casualty losses. preparedness to other major urban events, and to develop a localities & towns of the state. In this multidisciplinary, inter-stakeholder, Since 2008 EMExs have been held in view, Hon'ble Chief Minister and coordinated response during Mumbai (2008, 2010), Chennai (2011), Chairperson, State Disaster emergencies. The state of Assam Delhi (July 2012) and Guwahati Management Authority (SDMA) being a multi-hazard state and all the (October-November, 2012). The directed ASDMA to carry out similar

6 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 exercises in all the major towns of and solutions during emergency like iv) School Disaster Preparedness (2 Assam. Therefore, as a follow up situations. day), v) Water & Sanitation (1 day), action of Guwahati EMEx 2012, vi) Rescue Operation for Cattle & ASDMA conducted EMEx in Jorhat Community participation has been Carcass Disposal (1 day), vii) (April 2013), Silchar (November recognized as the necessary element Managing Relief Operations & 2013), Dibrugarh (February 2014), in disaster management (Lodhi & Communication during emergency (1 Nagaon (September 2015) and Mazumdar, 2009) as communities are day), and viii) Safe Buildings (1 day). Barpeta (February 2015). In December the first responders in any kind of It is important to note that in these 2015, EMEx has been repeated in emergency and community based district level EMExs, the resource Guwahati city in order to test the gaps approach for disaster management support was mostly from the state that were identified on the first can act as a key element to envisage level resource persons of various Guwahati EMEx in 2012. Other than better management strategies organizations and institutions. The GEMEx 2012, all other EMExs were (Victoria, 2002). Recognizing the state of Assam has adopted the conducted with the help of the importance of involvement of more Incident Response System (IRS) in the Regional & National level resources grass root level officials of district month of May 2014 as the code for with the support of agencies and administration and other district level responding to any disaster in state and institutions like NDMA, Doctors for institutions, in 2015 ASDMA has district level. Therefore, since Nagaon You, AIDMI, Academy of Trauma etc. further downscale the Emergency EMEx (September 2014) the response Management Exercises (EMExs) in 10 during field drill were practiced based Though there are several reasons selected districts of the state viz. on the IRS principle and so will be done stated by various agencies for conduct Bongaigaon, Nalbari, Lakhimpur, in the remaining district level EMExs. of EMEx, but U.S. Department of Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Education cited seven most Sonitpur, Darrang, Dhubri and It is important to note that during any comprehensive purpose for conduct Karimganj. The initial four districts type & scale of disaster or emergency, of EMEx viz. i) Clarify the roles and has already completed EMEx till first local community and grass root level responsibilities among various half of January 2016 and remaining functionaries are the first responders, agencies, ii) Evaluate plans and will complete that by the end of therefore their involvement in some procedures to be followed by the February 2016. components of EMExs are crucial. responding agencies, iii) Therefore, downscaling the EMExs to Development of effective agency In this 10 district level EMEx, eight the district level facilitate in relationships and coordination, iv) training tracks were introduced to the mitigating those gaps. It will also help Assess resources and capabilities, v) participants' e.g. i) Hospitals district administration and District Promote school and community Preparedness & Emergency Disaster Management Authorities preparedness, vi) Comply with State Management (2 day), ii) Mass Casualty (DDMAs) to develop new skills for legislations and last but the most Handling for Nurses & Paramedics emergency management and important vii) Identify gaps, needs (2 day), iii) Search and Rescue (3 day), handling mass casualty events in more effective manner. It will also fine tune the approach of DDMAs to work together to develop a multi- disciplinary coordinated response during localized disasters and emergencies. – Kripaljyoti Mazumdar, Project Officer, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Assam Secretariat, Dispur, Assam

References: Lodhi, M.S. and Mazumdar, K. (2009). Living with hazards and dealing with disasters in Arunachal Pradesh. ENVIS Bulletin: Himalayan Ecology. 17:19-20. Victoria, L.P. (2002). Community Based disaster management in Philippines: Making a difference in people's life. United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN).

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 7 HOSPITALS AND PREPAREDNESS GEMEx, 2015: Learning Emergency Ways of Working of the Public Health Work Force

he main objective of sustainable of the health care providers and will range of participants in PHiE track Tpublic health system is to instill a heightened insight into the i.e. the Public Health Engineering promote and maintain a healthier preparedness and response phase of Department (PHED), NGO's working population even under the constraints any disaster. As part of the disaster in the field of public health, Social of an emergency situation. But preparedness and capacity building welfare department and students. maintaining public health in process the District Disaster However absence of participants emergencies is very critical as Management Authority in from the health departments i.e. disasters can have both direct and association with Assam State Disaster ANM/GNM, ASHA, Vaccinators, indirect impact on the health care Management Authority (ASDMA), Pharmacists, health educators; MPW's services of a community. First, apart organises a district level 5 days and Nurses from government from mass casualties, disasters can Emergency Management Exercise medical hospitals and health centres damage the structural aspect of the (EMEx) to test the real time inter was one profound gap that was health system (infrastructure, agency communication and witnessed in the exercise. resources) creating barriers of access coordination with all agencies, to health services. Second, post departments and stakeholders. In One major achievement of GEMEx disaster situations can lead to severe December 2015, the city of Guwahati 2015 was to Leverage local resources a threat to public health of the hosted EMEx for the second time with in organising and implementing displaced population as the trainings in 8 different tracks. various phases of five days exercise consequences of the breakdown of including trainings, facilitation of the health facilities, water supplies and Public Health in Emergencies (PHiE) table top exercise and mock drill. The sanitation systems. was one of the most important tracks utilisation of local resources not only in GEMEx 2015. The training of PHiE proved to be sustainable and cost The role of the public health workers track was conducted by Doctors For effective but it also provided a during the immediate phase of an You. The training was scheduled for platform for the participant to build emergency is limited yet crucial. two days and it covered some of the coordination with other departments Timely, well planned and well- most crucial aspects and issues of and clarified the roles and coordinated public health public health arising during responsibilities of the concerned interventions are decisive in reducing emergencies, i.e. Rapid need departments involved in response in mortality, morbidity and disability assessment, emergency ways of emergencies. and to restore the delivery of, and working, managing reproductive equitable access to, preventive and child health services during GEMEx provided an opportunity for curative health care as quickly as emergencies; Minimum Initial Service the participants of public health track possible and in a sustainable manner. Package (MISP), outbreak investigation to accomplish extensive theoretical With better preparedness and and management, and measles and and practical orientation on public planning, the severity of disasters on routine immunization during health issues. The exercise also served public health can be reduced. emergencies. The training objective as an excellent platform for the Immediate access to guidance and was to provide orientation and significant stakeholders of public information on public health in sensitization to practical aspects of health workforce to apprehend and emergencies is essential for the public preventing and controlling outbreaks experience the emergency ways of health workforce in rapidly in emergency situations. Topics like working in a strategically well- establishing priorities of undertaking public health promotions during coordinated approach and necessary actions during the response emergencies, water, sanitation and encouraged community participation to an emergency or disaster. hygiene and addressing the needs of of the public health workers in the vulnerable groups provided disaster risk reduction strategies. Capacity building and disaster valuable insights to the participants – Sunny Buragohain and preparedness trainings pertaining to for the table top stimulation exercise. Barnali Singha, Program the issues of public health in Coordinator, Doctors for You NERO emergencies will build the capacity GEMEx 2015, accumulated a wide Office, Guwahati

8 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 CASE STUDY Redefining Ownership–School Based Disaster Risk Reduction a Reality in Axom Jatiya Vidyalay

ime has seen enormous ASDMA in the year 2013-14. The January, 2016. The process of school T evolutions. New ideas came and School conducted its risk assessment safety initiated by project partners ensured their established regime for the first time in 2013 and was now is a school mandate. The school through reality tests. However, supported to prepare a management lead by the school wonders are always clickable and comprehensive school disaster president had initiated a host of steps delightful for the readers. Again, at management plan based on the risk since the project completed. Any new times certain ideas when are delayed assessment conducted. The school was visitor the moment s/he enters the results tend to lose their attention in also supported with initial capacity school can see the visible steps taken the timeline. There are many such building of teams formed as part of by the school management. Now, ideas and concepts in the realm of the plan. The identified non- each floor of the multi-storied disaster risk reduction which have structural mitigation measures were building has visible evacuation map faced this challenge and came strong. also implemented by the school and routes in place. Emergency In the light of the above let us review which included fixation of vulnerable telephone numbers (police, fire the following story. assets, evacuation planning, clearing brigade, hospitals) are displayed in of evacuation routes, conduct of the entrance and opposite to the Axom Jatiya Bidyalay, a vernacular evacuation drills etc. The activities Principal's room. Recently, the school medium school in periphery of were also thoroughly documented. management has connected the entire Guwahati city in the state of Assam building with fire fighting has a story that can inspire thousand The above is a statement of infrastructure like water hose pipe such schools in India and beyond. background how the school was particularly at vulnerable places like School based disaster risk reduction inducted with the concept of school the kitchen, printing press etc. The was accepted for the first time by the based DRR. Till the project period the school already had fixed the school in the year 2013 when it was actions of the school were guided and vulnerable tools and assets which selected as a part of a pilot project by supported. However, it has been could have been devastating during Assam State Disaster Management almost two years since the project was the earthquakes. These fixed assets Authority to plan and implement over. The real validity of the idea of and tools recently successfully passed school based disaster risk reduction piloting school based DRR came to two tests during the Gorkha initiatives. The project was be witnessed when AIDMI revisited earthquake (25th April, 2015) and implemented by AIDMI on behalf of the school to see the present status in Manipur earthquake (1st January,

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 9 2016). The school has internalized the CASE STUDY idea of planning as its core committee on disaster management meets on When Disaster Reduction Became regular interval and takes crucial decisions related to safety. It was by a Reality–the Story to Share virtue of this seriousness that considerable investment has been vidence is always useful when it is brought to the lime light. The Disaster made from the school development Risk Reduction community always had spoken about the reduction of fund to improve safety aspects. The E vulnerabilities which are difficult to be eliminated. This story depicts how school has also established a state of school disaster risk reduction has shown its impact. Ayya Vidyapith Higher the art early warning communication Secondary School. It was a school which lies in low lying area suffering from system under which speakers are frequent water logging in summers. As an old provincialized school of the placed in each floor at multiple town, the school has an old building. Being part of the ASDMA and AIDMI locations. Crowd management has joint pilot on school based DRR, the school implemented certain measures received central attention in the addressing its vulnerabilities. One such measure was addressing the exposure school since they conducted their first of the school infrastructure to fire hazard. Thus, school placed certain numbers evacuation drill in January, 2014. of fire extinguishers at identified vulnerable locations in the school which Since then, the school regularly were identified during the school safety audit and school risk assessment practices regular mock-drills. The process. The placing of extinguishers was followed by demonstrations to school library is equipped with teachers and students along with other non-structural measures that were knowledge products on do's and don'ts for different disasters and the taken in the school. children are guided and motivated to read those books. On the whole, an In February, 2015, during the time when school was operational, an electrical atmosphere has been created where short-circuit gave rise to a fire incident which was noticed immediately. As safety and preparedness are of central per the emergency response plan of the school, the classes were immediately value in the school. The school has evacuated and the responsible team members effectively used the fire potentially become a model for others extinguisher placed near the place of Incident which avoided a big tragedy to follow and the biggest difference and loss. The students who frequently practices evacuation drills were also is that the school management has active and disciplined in the evacuation process. Thus, this pro-active and owned the process and are time bound response of the school avoided a big disaster from happening. Implementing planned actions. Since The school no doubt is endowed with water logging which is the first priority. the school has its own publication and On which a host of technical and financial limitations affect the school from text book division, efforts are on for implementing strong measures considering the location of school and its including DRR at different stages of financial capacity, fire safety measures were not compromised and thus a the school curriculum. disaster was reduced to nothing. It sets an ample example for such institutions which tend to ignore or de-prioritize low frequency hazards over the frequent The AJB provides a real example of ones. – Anand Prokash Kanoo, AIDMI how the idea of school based disaster risk reduction can be owned by a school while maintaining balance between academic excellence and safety of children. This school is offering a safer environment not only for the children to study in but also to contribute at their respective peripheries be it in their homes, neighborhood and communities. Though, this is not the end and still many more to come, every action in planned manner is enhancing children's safety and providing the school with new scope for learning and development. – Anand Prokash Kanoo, AIDMI

10 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 NALBARI EMEx Making Emergency Preparedness 'Walk the Talk'–Mission EMEx of Assam Reaches Nalbari

ssam, the north-eastern state of AIndia has really mastered the art of taking disaster risk reduction as a policy priority in the State. After successfully completing the Guwahati Emergency Management Exercise from 14th to 18th December, 2015 which was the eighth in a row in last three years, the state moved rapidly to initiate the ninth emergency management exercise in yet another district headquarter town. The Nalbari Emergency Management Exercise (NalEMEx) was organized from 19th to 23rd December by District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of Nalbari in NalEMEx was inaugurated by His Excellency Dr. Bhumidhar Barman, Honorable association with Assam State Disaster Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Assam. Management Authority. The AIDMI was invited as a technical resource top simulation was organized on training focused on building agency to support the conduct of the 22nd followed by field drill and hot- conceptual knowledge, planning EMEx. wash on 23rd December, 2015. skills, real time response experience through mock drills. It was indeed a This five day long EMEx was more AIDMI's Role in Nalbari Emergency joint learning experience. The distinct localized and district centric where Management Exercise, 2015 features of the training were as greater impetus was given to the AIDMI had established its distinct follows: established Incident Command reputation in India as co-organizer of 1. Presence of Inspector of School, System (ICS) of the district. It had emergency management exercises. Sub-Inspectors of school and eight parallel training tracks divided AIDMI had been one of co-founders District Project Officers of RMSA across themes namely; School for initial EMExes in India and had and SSA of Nalbari throughout Disaster Preparedness; Emergency since then grown as a leading the training course. The Nursing Care and Comprehensive technical agency to support such participation of such decision Trauma Life Support for Nurses and exercises. The DDMA, Nalbari invited makers, administrators, Paramedics; Hospital Emergency AIDMI to provide technical support monitors and evaluators enabled Management for Doctors; in facilitation of the School Disaster practical discussion on issues Coordination of Relief for Preparedness track in particular and related to coordination and government officers and community overall exercise in general. Having a preparedness. This provided a organizations like VLMCC; Training commitment to advocate for child greater platform for advocating on Safe building Construction; centered DRR, AIDMI strived to the child centered DRR at local level Training on livestock management optimum extent possible in making involving local decision makers during disasters and carcass disposal; the NalEMEx child centric. The and planners. Training on Search and Rescue for teachers training was a crucial step in 2. The teachers were attentive Police, SDRF, SFSO etc. and Training this direction. In two days duration, throughout the training duration on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene teachers were given theoretical and which enabled pledges to initiate (WASH) for Public Health practical orientation to understand, child centered DRR initiatives in functionaries. These training tracks plan and initiate school safety and schools. Each participating were carried out at different venues disaster preparedness activities with teacher had given one from 19th to 21st December. A Table a child centered approach. The commitment on initial actions

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 11 that will be taken in his/her difficulty in rescue and triage. It • The Paramedics didn't keep capacity after the training for was recommended that Police record of triage at the initial promoting children's safety in should see cordoning off the stage. Documentation is also school and for preparing the accident site as a priority to essential for mass casualty school for effective emergency enable smooth rescue operations. events response. • Triage confusion was visible. • Coordination gap was visible 3. The teachers had shown active First patient taken to the between the Police and rescue interest in audio-visuals used ambulance was without triage. forces. The two forces must work during the training which were More practice at hospital level in close coordination and should later shared with them for use in was recommended so as to understand and cooperate with classroom teaching learning improve field triage for effective each as per SoPs. process. The teachers were also management mass casualty. provided reference materials • The road was not cleared till Overall, the exercise was successful developed by AIDMI in 11.33 am even after 18 minutes in highlighting many important areas Assamese (local) language. of the incident. The Police must for district to work and improve Overall the interest and keep time as a factor and should upon. The participation from all association with the topic was enlist site specific priorities to segments was energetic and regular seen among the teachers. fast track normalcy which motivated the experts also to

AIDMI as Observer in NalEMEx Time Sequencing of Response Actions Beyond facilitating the training on Sequence Time Time Gap school disaster preparedness, AIDMI Accident 11.12 am also supported the conduct of Table top and field drill. AIDMI was requested Police arrives on site 11.17 am 5 minutes by the DDMA to act as observer in NDRF arrives on site 11.16 am 4 minutes the accident site created for the field 1st two Ambulances arrive on site 11.16 am 4 minutes drill. The observations made by AIDMI st as observer include the following: 1 two Ambulances leave for hospital 11.24 am 12 minutes 3rd Ambulance arrives 11.37 am 25 minutes Successful accomplishments in 3rd Ambulance leaves for hospital 11.40 am 28 minutes responding to the accident: 4th Ambulance arrives on site 11.41 am 29 minutes • Reaction to the action was very th smooth, timely and carried out 4 Ambulance leaves for hospital 11.43 am 31 minutes sincerely 5th Ambulance arrives on Scene 11.43 am 31 minutes • Rescue team was active and 5th Ambulance leaves for hospital 11.45 am 33 minutes handled the situation well 6th Ambulance arrives on site 11.49 am 37 minutes • Medical team also responded strongly 6th Ambulance leaves for Hospital 11.51 am 39 minutes • Time gap was minimal for the Rescue completed 11.53 am 41 minutes rescue operations to begin • Almost a real like situation was created and public were made to take the incident seriously • Management of traffic post- accident was good and smooth • Triage area was created along with rescue operations

Major observations related to areas of improvement: • Response of Police was limited to smoothening of traffic. There was a lack of effective crowd management on site, resulting in Accident site where a goods carrier truck collided with a public career van.

12 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 work hard. The DDMA will have to LAKHIMPUR EMEx capitalize the learning and should work to integrate and improve its Lakhimpur Emergency operation on recommended areas. Assam is ready to host another eight Management Exercise (LEMEx), EMExes in the coming few months in different districts and AIDMI is 2016 committed to extend all possible support in this endeavor of making Assam prepared and its children safe. – AIDMI Team

POEM Disasters

Mr. Debeswar Malakar, IAS, Deputy Commissioner cum-Chairperson District Disaster Management Authority, North Lakhimpur addressing the participants from all training tracks during the inaugural ceremony.

ackground tend to the sick and wounded during B Lakhimpur is a multi-hazard disasters and emergencies. Disaster! Disaster! Disaster! prone district in the state of Assam. It You are never welcomed! is exposed to the risks of floods, heavy About the Lakhimpur Emergency Because you are terribly dangerous storms, earthquakes, fire accidents, Management Exercise You spare none! food poisoning, boat capsizing The Lakhimpur Management You know none besides bomb blasts. It falls under Exercise which was held from 2nd You have no kith and kin seismic zone V making the entire January to 6th, 2016 January was a five You have no relatives. district very much prone to day long exercise. The first three days earthquakes of moderate to very high were kept for 8 training track viz. Safe No bigger, no ferocious animal intensity. Apart from this hazard the Building, Hospital Emergency can challenge you district also faces acute floods every Management for Doctors, Search and But it is strange that some animals year. The district has a history of Rescue, School Disaster Preparedness, can sense you! disasters ranging from severe floods Water and Sanitation, Rescue A dog in Galle refused to take to bomb blasts which have been a operation for cattle, Managing relief morning walk, major impediment to the economic operation and mass casualties. The Moreover report about few development of the state. fourth day was kept for table top animals' casualty comes to view exercise and the fifth day was kept Oh you disasters! Thus, to sustain the pace of for field drill followed by 'hot wash' development by minimizing the and a valedictory session. Any form of you- we welcome losses from disasters, the District none of you Disaster Management Authority Objectives of the LEMEx We, the trained teachers shall (DDMA) had organized the 1. To harness the strength and make our efforts Lakhimpur Emergency Management capabilities of district level We will reduce risks to our Exercise (LEMEx) to identify the emergency responders such as children's lives and others, potentialities and the gaps of the educational institutions, hospitals, But, we never expect you, district while performing against any wings of civil administration as Oh you terrible disaster! emergency situation. This exercise they prepare to meet a major – Md. Rafiqul Islam, not only tested the potential of the catastrophe in the district. Subject Teacher (English), Govt. district hospitals and doctors, but also 2. To examine the level of Gurdon HS School, Nalbari provided them training on how to preparedness of the responding

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 13 agencies, institutions and hospitals "Firstly I congratulate to DDMA for to tackle with an emergency smoothly and successfully conducted situation in the district and the mega drill at Lakhimpur district. identify the existing gaps along Areas were well selected for staging with the needed improvement. area. There was lack of coordination 3. To test in real-time the inter agency among the ambulances. Ambulances communication and coordination were rushed to the incident point especially the Incident Command without receiving any information Structure, its various agencies and from staging area. They were a bit citizen groups confused where to go and where not". 4. To push the hospital response – Mr. Basant Kumar, system through the drill to identify NDRF Observer at Staging area and prioritize care during any disaster to maximize the savings of life and limb, under duress. "I found gaps in coordination in the Children presenting the findings of first phase and also there was lack of Training Tracks in Lakhimpur joint HVCA exercise during the coordination among the response Emergency Management Exercise training at Inspector of school, team and medical team. There was A total of eight training tracks were Conference Hall at Lakhimpur district. lack of crowd management. I also carried out in LEMEx with support observed that initially yellow and from various subject experts from in a circular manner according to the green tagged patients were sent to specific fields. All the tracks were training track. There were total two hospitals prior to red tagged patients facilitated by both national and local scenarios presented where but apart from this paramedics had institutions. These tracks were participants from eight tracks shared maintained well documentations of conducted in different venues within their response against the scenario. patients. At last I would like to the district. Out of which the All India congratulate all to participate of this Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) Field Drill drill". facilitated the school disaster This field exercise was designed to – Sunny Buragohain, preparedness track. A total of 378 test the response procedure and Observer at District Library participants participated in these incident command system. This field trainings. Track-wise numbers of drill was organized at two sites, one In the valedictory session, participants are given in the table-1. at the PNGB School and another one participants were handed over a at the district library. Firstly, a major certificate of participation and DDMA Table Top Exercise earthquake scenario was simulated at expressed its gratitude towards all of The table top exercise on the fourth the district library followed by fire them. day was organized in Lakhimpur simulation at the PNGB School of indoor stadium where the table top Lakhimpur town at 11.21 am. During Conclusion simulation was facilitated by Mr. the course of this simulation, 21 Overall it was an excellent initiative Kripal Jyoti Mazumdar, project office, injured people were rescued from taken by the DDMA to create ASDMA. All the participants of each PNGB School site by NDRF, SDRF and awareness among the people about of the track were made to sit together were sent to two of the pre-identified DRR and resilience building. Such hospitals. The responses in kind of exercises played a critical role Table-1. Participation in different training their totality were observed in identifying our lacunas in the tracks of LEMEx, 2016 by observers placed at context of disaster, which will help Track Number of specific locations. in improving situation and Participants recovering the gaps to deal with emergencies. But the DDMA alone Safe Building 29 Hot-wash and Valedictory The final part of the LEMEx will not be able to protect the district Hospital Preparedness 24 was the hot-wash event from any kind of emergency Search and Rescue 93 which was organized at situation, it is also the responsibility of all the departments to tackle the School Disaster Preparedness 62 District library. The observers from incident site, situation together in order to fight Water and Sanitation 74 ICP and Hospitals shared back with any kind of disastrous Rescue operation for cattle 46 their observations. Few situation. Better response will depend Managing relief operation 60 comments of observers upon the follow up actions to fill the regarding the field drill gaps identified at the end of the mega Mass Casualties 83 were cited below: exercise. – Sonali Das, AIDMI 14 southasiadisasters.net February 2016 DHEMAJI EMEx Dhemaji Emergency Management Exercise (DEMEx), 2016

ackground Mr. Victor Carpenter, Deputy B A weeklong preparedness and Commissioner-cum-Chairperson, emergency management exercise, DDMA, Dhemaji, said "We must "Dhemaji Emergency Management understand and functionalise our Exercise (DhEMEx)" was held in Incident Command System to deal Dhemaji between January 8th to with any eventuality. It is not about a January 12th, 2016. The exercise was single disaster like flood that we deal designed to harness the strengths and with every year, but, about a capabilities of the district emergency combination of unexpected and responders, educational institutions, brutal events. We must be prepared hospitals and humanitarian agencies, and this EMEx is a strong step etc. in their effort to meet any possible forward in this regard". disaster in the district. educational institutions, hospitals, made to resemble a realistic picture The program involved a week long wings of civil administration as so as to enable actual assessment and learning and capacity building they prepare to meet a major fulfillment of the intended objectives. exercise with seven parallel tracks at catastrophe for the district. different venues of the district. Various 2. To test the state of preparedness of Training Tracks learning tracks being included in responding agencies, institutions There were a total seven training DhEMEx were, School Disaster and hospitals to deal with a major tracks devised for this exercise which Preparedness, Emergency Nursing disaster in the district and were organized from 8th to 12st Care and Comprehensive Trauma Life identification of areas where gaps January 2016. This included: Support for Nurses and Paramedics, exist and improvement is needed. 1. School Disaster Preparedness Hospital Emergency Management 3. To test the real-time inter agency 2. Emergency Nursing Care and for Doctors, Training on Safe communication and coordination, Comprehensive Trauma Life building, Construction, Training on especially the Incident Command Support for Nurses and livestock management during Structure, its various agencies and Paramedics disasters and carcass disposal, citizen groups. 3. Hospital Emergency Management Training on Search and Rescue, Training 4. To push the hospital response for Doctors Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) system through the drill to identify 4. Training on Safe building for Public Health functionaries. and prioritize care during any Construction disaster to maximize the savings 5. Training on livestock Overview of DhEMEX of life and limb, under duress. management during disasters and This initiative was planned by the carcass disposal ASDMA to conduct 10 emergency Methodology 6. Training on Search and Rescue for management exercises in ten different The DhEMEx was conducted Police, SDRF, SFSO etc. hazard prone districts in the State of following a pre-defined 7. Training on Water, Sanitation and Assam. The first three days were methodology set out by the Assam Hygiene (WASH) for Public planned with training on seven tracks. State Disaster Management Authority. Health functionaries During the fourth day, all the trained This includes the conduct of parallel participants came together for a training followed by a table top and Table Top Simulation tabletop exercise followed by a major field drill. This was locally organized After the conduct of the three days incident- simulation drill on the fifth by the District Disaster Management training on several seven tracks all day. A debriefing session called Authority of Dhemaji with minimum the participants of the various tracks "Hotwash" along with a Valedictory external support. While a few of were brought together for a Table Top session was conducted on the fifth day. training tracks were facilitated by exercise. The exercise was facilitated external expert agencies, the entire by Mr. Mridul Deka and Mr. Anand Objectives of the DhEMEx event was locally sourced. The field Prokash Kanoo where several 1. To harness the strength and drill was designed as a real-time simulated scenarios of emergencies capabilities of district level scanner involving actual institutions were given and asked the participants emergency responders such as and real like scenarios. Efforts were of different tracks to respond the

February 2016 southasiadisasters.net 15 colors like red, yellow, green and black. There were total 26 green patients, 12 yellow patients, 6 red patients and one black patient.

Hot-wash and Valedictory At last the weeklong exercise culminated in a lesson learnt workshop on January 12, 2016, where all the participants assembled to make an appraisal of what went right and what went wrong. The lessons learnt during the various tracks also helped to identify the gaps in our strengths and capabilities of emergency response including inter agency communication and co- ordination. In the valedictory session, participants were handed over a certificate of participation and DDMA Field drill at Darrang Emergency Management Exercise. expressed its gratitude towards all. situation. The participants of each drill of a mass casualty was carried Conclusion track came forward with their own out with one mock drill scenario viz. To conclude this mega experience, it response mechanisms. It was an Earthquake followed by fire at State can be said that the exercise had attempt to reveal the strengths and Bank of India. offered lessons to improve upon for gaps in inter-agency communication all stakeholders involved. Each and discrepancies and overlaps in Over 46 victims injured during the stakeholder had an opportunity to response planning among the various incident, all the patients were triaged judge how S/he had reacted to a stakeholders. on the spot, applying their skills mock emergency situation and could learnt on training during the Field Drill previous three days and lastly was visualize his/her strength and The brainstorming led to the taken to the pre identified District weaknesses. This exercise was one of groundwork for the drill simulated Civil hospital Dhemaji, in order to a kind for the participants who widely on January 12, 2016 at Port Field, test their emergency management appreciated the lessons learned by Dhemaji. A real-time simulation/ plan. The victims were coded with them during the exercise. – Sonali Das, AIDMI Editorial Advisors: Anshuman Saikia Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu Regional Programme Support Coordinator Sub-Regional Coordinator, Central Asia & South ARO, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Caucasus, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Nature), Thailand Reduction (UNISDR), Kazakhstan

Denis Nkala Mihir R. Bhatt Regional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation and All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India Country Support (Asia-Pacific), United Nations Development Programme, New York Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPH The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, Ian Davis New York, USA Visiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management in Copenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford Brookes T. Nanda Kumar Universities Chairman, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Anand, , India

AIDMI is delighted to receive generous support of UNICEF (India) towards this issue.

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