Training on 'Incident Command System' to face disaster begins

Patna, May 2 (UNI) The five-day training programme on ''Incident Command System'' began here today with a call to all stake holders to quickly assess the need in an emergency situation and provide matching assistance to save lives.

The training programme had been jointly organised by Prof G P Sinha Centre for Disaster Management and Rural Development (GPSCDMRD), Patna, and Global Forum for Disaster Reduction(GFDR), Mumbai.

Mr Saurabh Kumar of Disaster Management Institute(DMI), Bhopal, and Mr Kumar Deepak of UNDP demonstrated with the help of gadgets in practical session on how to remain prepared for quick response.

About 24 people representing various organisations, including Indian Red Cross Society, and degree holders in Disaster Management were taking part in training.

Inaugurating the training, Prof Rajmani Prasad Sinha, former VC of Lalit Narain Mithila University, Darbhanga, narrated his own experience in tackling the flood devastation in Darbhanga.

He stressed on the need for starting a full term course in disaster management in Bihar because of the perennial flood and also it being in seismic zone of higher intensity.

Earlier, welcomig the guests Dr Rajan Sinha, Director, GPSCDMRD, said the training programme would cover issues like search and rescue, fire tackling, first aid, water transport and property guards.

He said the Centre will soon organise a campaign on use of ham radio in emergency situation.

Mr Saurabh Kumar, the master trainer from DMI, Bhopal, said the incident command system came into limelight after a wild fire broke out in California in 1970.

Now the Centre was giving much attention and few states were also organizing themselves on this line.

Others, who also spoke on the occasion, included Col R K Singh (Retd) on military preparedness, Prof R K Lal on administrative exercise and Mr Vishal Verma on property guard response.

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