Hyderabad, May 7 (IANS) Personnel from multiple civil defence services participated in the mock drill at four places in Hyderabad on Wednesday as part of the nationwide ‘Operation Abhyaas’ to test and strengthen the country’s preparedness.

Air raid sirens blared throughout the city at 4 p.m. and lasted for two minutes. Authorities activated the industrial siren and used the sirens of police patrol vehicles at traffic intersections.

Police appealed to people to take shelter in the nearest buildings, and those in houses and shops were advised to remain indoors.

Messages were sent out from the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) to people that there were ‘missile attacks’ and ‘air raids’ at four places.

Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Disaster Management, Fire Services, police, traffic police, Medical & Health, Railway, revenue, GHMC, NCC, Scouts & Guides, and other agencies participated in the mock drill.

The mock drill was conducted at four places – Secunderabad, Kanchanbagh, Nanal Nagar and Nacharam NFC Area. Officials said the civil mock drill was conducted after 54 years.

The personnel who participated in the mock drill were seen carrying the ‘dead’ and ‘injured’ on stretchers, shifting the ‘injured’ to hospitals through ambulances, administering CPR and oxygen, safely evacuating people trapped in targeted buildings, using fire tenders to douse the fire and providing other emergency services.

Nagi Reddy, Director General, Fire Services, who is the Director Civil Defence for Telangana and overall in-charge of the operation, monitored the mock drill from ICCC with Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand and other top officials.

The Police Commissioner said that through this mock drill the preparedness of various departments to tackle an emergency situation in the event of an attack was tested.

Anand said the drill also helped them identify the loopholes, and the departments concerned would take necessary action to overcome them.

He said the exercise was also aimed at educating people on the precautionary measures to be taken in the event of an attack. He told citizens that there is no need for panic.

Twelve civil defence services undertook the mock drill. Industrial sirens, police miked in junctions and other areas, patrol vehicles, and fire sirens were used.

Hyderabad is one of 244 vulnerable locations in the country identified for the nationwide ‘Operation Abhyaas’.

--IANS

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