Mock drill at milk plant with air attack scenario

Creating a possible scenario of an air strike by Pakistan on the Verka milk plant here, the Ludhiana administration carried out a mock drill where teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire Brigade, Civil Defence, Health Department and Municipal Corporation rushed for rescue operations.

A scene was created showing that a fire broke out after an air strike and many people suffered injuries. The fire brigade team doused the flames while the NDRF, which created a medical post, after giving first aid to the injured, shifted them to various hospitals through ambulances.

Sandeep Singh, Inspector, NDRF, told The Tribune, “This mock drill was carried out to check the preparedness and reaction time of various departments in case an air strike takes place. Proper rescue operations were conducted by creating the required infrastructure on the spot and it was a good learning experience for all departments to meet any untoward situation.”

It was, however, surprising that ambulances were stationed inside the plant, all men of Civil Defence were already present on the premises while the NDRF built a medical post only a few minutes before the start of mock drill. Only fire tenders were not present inside the plant as they were stationed on Ferozepur road and rushed after receiving an emergency call.

The exercise aimed to equip the public as well as authorities with the skills to handle crises effectively. The drill commenced at 4 pm with an alarm, prompting swift coordination among multiple agencies, including the NDRF, Fire Brigade, district administration, Municipal Corporation, police, Health Department, Civil Defence and NCC. Organised by the district administration in collaboration with defence authorities, the exercise simulated a real-time emergency response.

An incident command post was promptly established within the plant, where nodal officers from participating departments convened. The Fire Brigade and NDRF conducted demonstrations on disaster management techniques, while other teams showcased methods for rescuing and treating individuals during emergencies, emphasising life-saving protocols.

Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain emphasised that the drill was designed to raise public awareness and ensure readiness for any district-wide emergency. He urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that such exercises are proactive measures to enhance safety and preparedness.

MC Additional Commissioner Paramdeep Singh Khaira, Assistant Commissioner Upinderjeet Kaur Brar were among the officials present on the occasion.

Ludhiana