Disaster resilience: NDRF trains over 1 lakh across India

New Delhi, July 3: With an aim to create resilience and better preparedness against disasters, the NDRF has trained a record over 1 lakh people across the country within a month to effectively respond and undertake the basic do's and dont's during man-made or natural emergencies.

The feat was achieved between June 1-30 as part of a special initiative when instructors and trainers of the National Disaster Response Force reached 482 villages, towns and cities to sensitise people about disasters that occur specifically in there areas and also in general.

"The aim of this first-of-its kind exercise was to sensitise the vulnerable sections against disasters and bring about a sense of community capacity building. "Every year we see a number of calamities happening in the country like floods and earthquakes and hence it is our belief that every man should be trained and prepared with basic skills to counter such challenges," NDRF Director General O P Singh said.

Singh, who is behind the initiative, said records show if a community is well prepared to combat such issues, the loss of life and property could be brought to as minimum as possible. "Community awareness and sensitisation on disaster issues holds good for India.

While we have reached over a lakh people in a month, many more are still left," he said. In the month-long Community Awareness Programm (CAP), a total of 1,07,112 people in 22 states as part of 482 such sessions were trained in basic understanding of disaster management and combat by the NDRF.

The force also trained school going students as part of this initiative. Data shows under the over one-lakh people trained, there were 3,078 senior citizens, 30279 men and 8521 women.

A total of 29,732 girls and 35,902 boys were also trained under the same programme. People, as part of these sessions, were told to undertake basic vigil steps in the event of a disaster and basic medical aid help to those affected by it including other steps to evacuate and help others.

PTI