Baripada, (19/06): In collaboration with Odisha State Disaster Management Authority, Bhubaneswar and under the supervision of District Disaster Management Authority, Mayurbhanj, Disaster Management Mock Exercise has been successfully conducted in 10 multipurpose flood shelters of the district. The main objective of the exercise was to assess the effectiveness of preparedness, coordination and response systems during natural and man-made disasters. This year, an artificial disaster situation was created based on the “severe floods and landslides” scenario provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The rescue team demonstrated evacuation procedures, search and rescue operations, first aid and emergency medical services. The emergency communication system between the responding agencies was also tested while the injured were shifted to designated health centers. The fire service, police, health department, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), civil defense volunteers and local community members actively participated in the mock exercise. The entire program was successfully completed with the active support of the management and monitoring committee members/members of the 10 shelters and the nodal NGOs such as Spardha, Resolve, VARD, SECURE, FORD, Aadhaar, Aadhaar, Balaji, Shakti Sacha and PRIDE. At district level Assistant Collector of Emergency Department Mr. Tapas Kumar Mahanth, District Project Officer Mr. Jagbandhu Mohanty and State Project Officer Mr. Sutanu Kumar Thakur as State Observer observed the practice. They reviewed response times, resource mobilization and inter-agency coordination, as well as emphasized the need for group collaboration and regular mock exercises for disaster risk reduction. On this occasion the participants were sensitized about disaster preparedness, emergency helpline numbers and safety protocols to be followed in case of emergency. A debriefing session was held at the end of the exercise, where the achievements, challenges and potential areas of future improvement of the exercise were discussed. Officials said that such practice is effective in strengthening disaster response capacity and ensuring public safety in real emergencies. It is worth noting that before the mock practice District level preparatory meeting was held on 16.06.2026 and table top exercise was held in 25 blocks of the district on 18.06.2026.
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