Disaster Management Cell, Noida, conducted the drill to acquaint children with survival tactics and hopes to set a record, with over one lakh participants in the drill.
​The Disaster Management Cell (DMC), Noida, conducted its Mega School Earthquake Evacuation Drill in 101 schools in Gautam Budh Nagar on April 27.
A member of the DMC told City Spidey that the drill was the first of its kind in the country and the first being conducted by a local authority on such a large scale.
The drill began at 11 am and continued for an hour. The drill commenced after an emergency bell rang in the schools. The children left their classrooms and came out in the ground, where an awareness programme about earthquakes and survival tactics was organised.
A command and control centre was set up at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) of DMC office in Sector 29 for the drill. The members of DMC and a team from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were present at the centre.
The drill at Mahamaya Balika Inter College, Sector 44, Noida
A member of NDRF told City Spidey that groups of 10 schools were made and the groups sent the videos and photos of the drill at a time to the control room.
NP Singh, who was present as the District Magistrate of GB Nagar at the EOC, told City Spidey that it was a great initiative by the DMC. “Once the emergency bell rang, the children came outside their classrooms in one minute forty-five seconds,” he added.
BP Singh, the new District Magistrate, had not taken charge at the time of the drill.
Dr Kumar Raka, planning specialist and head of DMC, Noida, said, “We will send our report to the Limca Book of Records within a week. More than one lakh people, including students, teachers, staff and resource personnel, participated in this mega drill, which is a record.”
Emergency Operations Centre, DMC office, Sector 29
