Mock drill on train accident and rescue operations conducted in Tiruchi

Mock drill on train accident and rescue operations conducted in Tiruchi The drill was conducted by the Tiruchi Railway Division jointly with the National Disaster Response Force to assess the effectiveness of emergency response and inter-agency coordination.

Key points

• While the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services undertook the simulated fire response, the NDRF and railway rescue teams carried out specialised search, rescue and casualty extrication operations.
• The simulated scenario involved a major train accident with derailment / capsizing of three coaches and a smoke/ fire situation.
• After the conclusion of the drill, a special debriefing session was organised with the participation of all stakeholders.

In practice, a team of NDRF and Fire and Rescue Services personnel participating in a drill to test response to train disaster at Goods Shed in Tiruchi on Friday. Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY.

Notably, the Tiruchi Railway Division conducted a full-scale joint disaster management mock exercise at the Tiruchi Goods Yard here on Friday along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assess the effectiveness of emergency response, inter-agency coordination, and communication.

Meanwhile, the almost two-hour long drill carried out under the leadership of Divisional Railway Manager Balak Ram Negi saw the participation of NDRF 4th Battalion based in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services, Railway Protection Force, Administration Railway Police, Civil Defence and different railway departments.

Lalit Kumar Mansukhani, Principal Chief Safety Officer, Southern Railway, along with two Deputy Chief Safety Officers, reviewed the drill to assess the response arrangements and coordination among various agencies.

Notably, the simulated scenario involved a major train accident with derailment / capsizing of three coaches and a smoke/ fire situation. The exercise covered activation of emergency arrangements, mobilisation of rescue and medical resources, fire response, specialised search and rescue, casualty extrication, medical triage, evacuation and restoration activities.

While the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services undertook the simulated fire response, the NDRF and railway rescue teams carried out specialised search, rescue and casualty extrication operations. Medical teams established triage and casualty-management arrangements, including first aid and evacuation.

After the conclusion of the drill, a special debriefing session was organised with the participation of all stakeholders. The drill reinforced the importance of preparedness and teamwork in ensuring passenger safety during emergencies, a press release from the Tiruchi Division remarked.

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