Bharat-Rakshak.com : India's first defence portal

On the third day of the South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx) - 2015, today, Joint Field Training Exercise on Chemical Emergency was conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at LG India Pvt. Ltd., Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) with active participation of all eight SAARC nations,- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It was presumed that due to an earthquake, there is report of chemical gas leakage in the plant. There is panic situation in the vicinity of the factory and few workers are reportedly affected due to exposure to the chemical gases. The impact of leakage of gas is affecting larger area and the situation seems to be out of the capability of factory and local administration. Considering the gravity of impact of the chemical emergency, help of National and International response force is decided to be asked.

Subsequently, rescue teams of all South Asian countries promptly responded and mobilized to the incident site. Command Post, Staging Area, Base of Operation (BoO), Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), Communication Centre, Decontamination Station, Planning Section, Resource Unit, Medical first aid post and Media Enclave was established by NDRF near the operation site as per the International Search & Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) guidelines.

Rescue Teams demonstrated quick response and executing their Chemical Emergency rescue skills and professional capabilities to evacuate the victims from the factory. Further, condition of victims was stabilized at Medical First Aid Post established near the incident site. Thereafter, leakage gas pipeline was shielded by the team with the help of high-tech equipment. The Joint Field Training Exercise was conducted under the overall supervision of Shri OP Singh, Director General, NDRF.

Shri Singh expressed his immense pleasure on successful conduct of today’s Joint Field Exercise based on Chemical Emergency and said that the exercise positively met its objectives. He further said that for the purpose of giving actual feel of Chemical Emergency (Exercise), scenario of leakage of gases was painted by NDRF with the help of factory staff. He hoped that the exercise will be quite fruitful to Rescue Teams of each SAARC nation to understand their Chemical Emergency capabilities and skills on a common platform and also to have an exposure of International standard of response mechanism as envisaged by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA).

The exercise was witnessed by representatives and senior officers of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Army, NDRF, State representatives and other senior dignitaries.  They also appreciated the professional approach of shielding technique of leakage gas pipeline, handling of victims and stabilizing victims methodology exhibited by the teams during today’s field exercise.

          In the series of this exercise, ‘After Action Review’ (AAR) and debriefing session will be organised in New Delhi tomorrow to evaluate the operational effectiveness of Regional response and also to chalk out the future response mechanism of participating teams.

The first SAADMEx - 2015 is being organised in New Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) from November 23-26, 2015. NDRF is playing the lead role in conducting SAADMEx - 2015 with the support of NDMA, NIDM, MHA, & MEA. For the first time, all SAARC nations came together and joined hands to undertake such a massive field training exercise on combating an earthquake like disaster and chemical emergency on a common platform with their specialized skills and state-of-the-art equipment.

***

KSD/PK

Joint Field Exercise on Collapsed Structure Search & Rescue (CSSR) Techniques conducted in SAADMEx- 2015

On the initiative of the Government of India, first "South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx)” -2015 is being organized in New Delhi and NCR region from November 23-26, 2015. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is playing the lead role in conducing SAADMEx- 2015 with the support of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Today, in continuation of the SAADMEx-2015, Joint Field Training Exercise on Collapsed Structure Search & Rescue (CSSR) techniques was conducted by NDRF at NTH Complex, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) with active participation of all eight member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

For the purpose of giving 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 & Living Tent were properly established by NDRF as per the International Search & Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) guidelines for familiarization & exercise purpose at the venue. Firstly, functioning & response mechanism of above mentioned Centres including International Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) mechanism & USAR Coordination Structure were discussed with all delegates & participating teams of SAARC nations by NDRF officials.

As per the scenario painted, it is presumed that thousands of buildings collapsed after an impact of earthquake (magnitude on Richter Scale 6.8) in National Capital Region (NCR) and Northern part of the country. The Epicenter assumed at Roorkee (Uttarakhand) about 180 km North-East of Delhi. About 2,000 people reported to have died, 4,000 are injured and over 8,000 are missing. Large numbers of people are expected to be trapped under debris of the collapsed structure. Retrieval of injured from collapsed house is a mammoth task for responders and State Government. Considering the huge impact of the disaster, help of South Asian countries was decided to be asked by the Government of India.

Rescue Teams of all SAARC nations promptly responded as per the painted scenario & demonstrated quick response and their CSSR skills / professional capabilities with the help of hi-tech equipment to extricate trapped victims from debris of the collapsed building. Trained sniffer dogs were also placed on service to trace the trapped victims.

Joint Field Training Exercise was conducted under overall supervision of Shri O P Singh, Director General, NDRF and witnessed by representatives from Senior Officers of NDMA, NIDM, MHA, MEA, Army, NDRF, State representatives & other senior dignitaries. Shri O P Singh, Director General, NDRF expressed his immense pleasure on successful conduct of today’s Joint Field Exercise of SAADMEx-2015 based on CSSR with attainment of its objectives. He further said that we successfully painted the real disaster like scenario and hoped that the exercise was quite fruitful to Rescue Team of each SAARC nation to understand their CSSR capabilities & also to have exposure of International standard of response mechanism as envisaged by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA).

In the series of this Exercise, a Joint Field Training Exercise on Chemical Emergency will be conducted at LG Ltd., Greater Noida (U.P.) tomorrow on the basis of painted scenario. Further, on November 26, 2015 After Action Review (AAR) and debriefing session will be organized.

Click here to see photo

***

KSD/PK

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Prime Minister's Office
22-November-2015 19:01 IST

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Prime Minister's Office
11-November-2015 18:11 IST

The seventh Indo - Russian joint training Exercise INDRA - 2015 commenced at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges on 08 November 2015 with an impressive opening ceremony that saw the unfurling of the National Flags of both countries amidst playing of their National Anthems. 

            Earlier on November 07, The Russian contingent from an Independent Motorised Brigade comprising 250 Military personnel along with supporting staff landed at Bikaner directly from Russia.  The 14-day training schedule is focused on training on ‘Counter Terrorism Operations in the backdrop of Desert terrain under a United Nations Mandate’.

            The opening ceremony was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges. Maj Gen PC Thimmaya, General Officer Commanding, Red Eagle Division welcomed the Russian contingent and urged both contingents to strive to understand each others’ battle drills and procedures, so as to achieve optimum cohesion and enhanced inter operability between the two forces.  He stressed upon the importance of free exchange in ideas, discussion of concepts and assimilation of best practices between the troops of the two nations. Enhancing mutual confidence and inter-operability between the two armies would be a priority, he stated.

  The conduct of this joint military exercise is seen as an important step to reinforce actions related to the establishment and fostering of peace, prosperity and stability in the world by the two nations.  The welcome speeches and ceremonies were followed by showcasing of cultural programmes by both sides. They would undergo an intense phase of training in the coming days. The exercise is scheduled to finally terminate on November 20, 2015.

Click here to see photo

Manoj Tuli

APRO (Army)