Presence of mind, preparedness key to disaster response, says Kalaburagi DC

Emphasising the importance of preparedness and timely response during emergencies, Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum on Wednesday said presence of mind and public awareness are crucial in minimising loss of life and preventing escalation during disasters.

She was speaking after inaugurating an off-site drill on chemical disaster management at the BPCL depot in the Nandur industrial area, organised by the district administration, District Crisis Management Committee, and District Disaster Management Authority.

The Deputy Commissioner said the primary responsibility of disaster response teams is to save lives and contain the situation from worsening. She described such mock exercises as an effective practice to create awareness among the public as well as among officials of various departments.

The drill demonstrated coordination among multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), revenue, health, police and electricity departments, in handling emergency situations such as chemical leaks and fire accidents.

As part of the simulation, a fire was assumed to have broken out in a storage tank at the BPCL facility and spread across the unit. Within 15 minutes of receiving information, Fire and Emergency Services and ambulances reached the spot and began rescue operations. NDRF and SDRF teams, along with fire personnel, carried out firefighting operations using chemical suppressants, while injured workers were evacuated using stretchers and battery-operated vehicles and shifted to ambulances.

Health Department personnel demonstrated first aid procedures, highlighting their critical role in reducing casualties during emergencies. The Animal Husbandry Department ensured safe evacuation and health checks of animals in the vicinity.

The Revenue Department set up control rooms and relief centres, while the police regulated traffic on National Highway-150 to facilitate rescue operations. The electricity department disconnected power supply in the industrial area as a precautionary measure, and the pollution control board monitored gas leakage levels.

Officials said the exercise, which began with a briefing at the BPCL conference hall, saw active participation from over 18 departments and aimed to assess the district administration’s preparedness and response time in handling industrial disasters.