Srinagar, April 16 : State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), 1st Battalion, Kashmir held a flood preparedness mock drill inside Dal Lake on Saturday. The drill was held in collaboration with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and support of J&K State Emergency Operation Centre (JKSEOC) and J&K Dragon Boat Association.
Speaking on the occasion Firdous Iqbal, Commandant SDRF 1st Bn & Director Civil Defence J&K, said that the mock-drill had been organized on the instructions of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, to test the preparedness level of all the Response Teams, in the event of any flood like situation.
Those present on the occasion, included Er. Aamir Ali, Nodal Officer JKSEOC, Dev Darshan, Deputy Commandant NDRF, Farooq Ahmed Bhat, Coach J&K Police Water Sports and J&K Dragon Boat Association. Piyoosh Routela, Executive Director Disaster Mitigation & Management Centre, Uttrakhand also participated in the mock drill and appreciated the preparedness level of the teams. The mock drill was conducted under the overall coordination of Rashad Khan, Deputy Commandant SDRF.
Firdous Iqbal also interacted with the J&K Dragon Boat team that won the Bronze Medal, in the recently concluded 9th National Dragon Boat Championship, at Alappuzha, Kerala. He also appreciated one Javid Tinda, working as SPO in Quick Response Team (QRT) of SDRF, who was part of the J&K Dragon Boat Team contingent.
Firdous Iqbal urged the local youth, particularly those living within Dal lake and other water bodies of Kashmir, like Wular, Manasbal and Jhelum, who are experts swimmers, to come forward and join hands with SDRF & Civil Defence, for participating in water related sports & also learn water rescue techniques, so that in the event of any flood like situation, these trained youth from the community, can act as the first responders.
Local inhabitants, particularly youth, living inside Dal Lake, actively participated in the Mock drill. During the mock drill demonstration of boat collapse, rescue from drowning, boat rescue techniques and rescue from collapsed House Boat were also demonstrated. Emergency Rescue Methods & First Aid to be administered, for drowning cases was also demonstrated.
