Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug 21: Strengthening the preparedness of officials working with tribal communities has become the focus of a one-day disaster management training programme held in Sri Vijaya Puram, with participants being trained in emergency response while accounting for the distinct geographical, social and cultural context of tribal areas.
The Directorate of Disaster Management (DDM), Andaman and Nicobar Administration, organised the programme in coordination with the Directorate of Tribal Welfare for officers and officials of Tribal Welfare and the Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAJVS). The training was held at the Training Hall of Aapda Prabandhan Bhawan.
The programme sought to strengthen participants’ knowledge, skills and preparedness across disaster risk reduction, mitigation, response and recovery. It placed particular emphasis on the vulnerabilities of tribal communities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the need to incorporate those circumstances into disaster preparedness and response measures.
Addressing the participants, Director (Disaster Management) Priyanka Kumari underlined the responsibility of officers and officials in safeguarding the well-being of tribal communities during emergencies. She said trained personnel have an important role in strengthening resilience within tribal communities.
The training covered a range of basic disaster management and emergency response measures. These included disaster preparedness and risk reduction, early warning and communication systems, evacuation procedures, search and rescue (SAR), medical first response (MFR), fire safety and community-based disaster preparedness.
Participants also received sensitisation on preparing communities to respond to emergencies while taking into account the local geographical, social and cultural conditions of tribal areas.
The focus on community preparedness formed an important part of the programme, with the training addressing not only immediate response measures but also the need to prepare communities before emergencies occur. The programme linked early warning, communication, evacuation and first-response capabilities with community-level disaster preparedness.
During the inaugural session, Assistant Director (Administration), Directorate of Disaster Management, Janik Ram highlighted the importance of strengthening disaster preparedness.
The programme brought together officials from Tribal Welfare and AAJVS for focused training on disaster risk reduction and emergency response, with the Directorate of Disaster Management and Directorate of Tribal Welfare coordinating the exercise.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Statistical Officer Sudev Kumar.
