The Hindu 28.12.2010
VMC imparts training in school safety
Special Correspondent
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‘The focus of the URRP is to build the capacity of a team of volunteers’ |
The programme organised as part of the Urban Risk Reduction Project
Disaster response force conducts mock drill
VIJAYAWADA: For the set of teachers and students who attended the
day-long training in capacity building and preparedness for natural
disasters management at the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation on Monday,
it was a new learning experience.
“You cannot prevent natural disasters. But you can prepare the
schools for an emergency. It is important to develop a school safety
plan well before there is any impending danger. Disaster preparedness
plan is an essential component of school safety,” B. Nagendra Kumar,
State Project Officer, Urban Risk Reduction Project (URRP) in the UNDP
(United Nations Development Programme), told a press conference that
followed the training session.
Pilot project
The training was part of the URRP that is being implemented as a
pilot project in four cities, including Vijayawada. The other three
cities are Khammam, Kurnool and Srikakulam. “The focus of the URRP is
building the capacity of a team of volunteers, developing a training
module and conducting training sessions for service delivery in
emergencies,” he said.
“Disasters can be natural or man-made. Preparedness to confront the
situation in the best possible manner is essential to minimize loss of
lives or property during incidents of fire accident, earthquake or a
cyclone. The focus of our today’s programme was on how to act when a
disaster strikes at school-level,” he said about the project, a joint
venture of the Government of India and the UNDP, which is being
implemented through the VMC.
As part of the move to educate teachers and students on emergency
procedures, the trainers said when disasters occur, one must make the
best of the locally available material to carry out rescue operations
and thus reduce the impact of the disaster.
A mock drill conducted by the personnel of National Disaster Response
Force (NDRF) comprised the training session. “Drills make you aware of
emergency exits and how to react during a fire accident,” Mr. Nagendra
Kumar said. A total of 103 teachers and student representatives from
70-odd schools participated in the training session.
VMC Additional Project Director A. Ramalingeswara Raju, Project
Support Associate P. Usha, State Training Officer M. Madhubabu and
others were present.
Over 100 teachers and student representatives take part in the session.