The Delhi government has issued a circular mentioning the dos and don’ts to be followed by citizens during air-raid warning sirens, blackout and evacuation exercises at the time of Wednesday’s civil defence mock drill across 55 locations in the capital.
Civilians have been advised to familiarise themselves with the sounds of the air-raid siren, including long wails for alerts and short bursts for all-clear, identifying nearest shelter locations such as basements, underground car parks or designated safe zones and keep ready items such as a torch, emergency kit and water bottles, among others.
Residents will be required to immediately stop outdoor activities and proceed to the nearest shelter and avoid using phones to keep communication lines free for emergencies after the siren is sounded. They will be required to install thick curtains or blinds on all windows as crash blackout measures, prepare for work without lights during the blackout, switch off lights during the drill and test preparedness by simulating a blackout with family members, according to a Delhi government document.
It suggested turning off or covering all light sources, including electronic devices such as TVs, phones or tablets, and not using any light that could be visible from outside. The authorities will camouflage vital installations while residents will be required to report any unfamiliar activity and avoid sharing sensitive information about local facilities on social media, according to the document.
The people need to observe and learn how authorities camouflage vital installations to understand its importance, not enter restricted areas and avoid photographing or sharing online pictures of the drill, the document further read.
Community training sessions will be held ahead of the drill to teach children the basics of emergency response, such as dropping low and covering their heads, identifying safe spaces at home, schools and neighborhoods, and first-aid techniques. Residents have been advised to actively participate and follow the instructions of trainers and ensure that children and the elderly are included in all steps of the exercise. Studying evacuation routes, identifying nearest shelters, preparing a go-bag with essentials such as medicines and emergency numbers, snacks and water will be part of the exercise. As part of the mega mock drill, authorities in Delhi will carry out Operation Abhyaas at 55 locations at 4 pm on Wednesday, officials said.
The DoE has directed all school to organise training sessions for students and teachers and a demonstration video has been shared to help schools understand how to conduct a proper mock drill.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, the DoE said, “All schools are directed to ensure full participation in the mock drill exercise and to cooperate with the visiting Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) teams in the right spirit, with the aim of promoting a culture of safety, preparedness and civic responsibility among students.”
The department has asked all government and private aided schools to submit a report, along with photographs of the drill, to their respective district education offices on Wednesday, it stated.