Vadodara district administration equipped to deal with double challenge of Coronavirus and monsoon

Training given to taluka level officers and employees to carry out rescue and relief operations in time of floods while taking precautions against Corona

This time Vadodara is dealing with dual challenge of Coronavirus and monsoon. The district administration showed it’s preparedness to deal with possible natural calamities like floods, hurricanes and heavy rains during this time. As per the directions by Collector Shalini Agarwal, a video conferencing was organised to train the taluka level officers and employees to carry out rescue and relief operations in time of floods while taking precautions against Corona. Army, NDRF, Airforce, SDRF, SRP and other agencies joined the training to maintain coordination and coherence in times of disaster.

A special rescue team of NDRF has been formed to carry out rescue operations especially in case of floods. The team will ensure the safe evacuation of Covid-19 positive patients, people with suspicious symptoms, at home isolation and living in containment zones. The team will be equipped with PPE kit and necessary medical equipment. They will also ensure extra care during proper disposal of equipment used during rescue operations as well as frequent disinfection of other equipments.

This year rescue operations in case of flood situation will be different than usual. The teams have to maintain social distancing in wake of Corona epidemic.Social distance must also be maintained during rescue operations in the wake of the Corona epidemic. At the same time, the rescue team will have to work with medical equipment, PPE kit, face mask, gloves and other safety gears. A NDRF official gave a detailed presentation on how to wear a PPE kit and use it effectively. More intensive training will be given to the officers and employees at the taluka level in the coming days to meet this challenging situation. Also, Collector Shalini Agarwal directed the authorities to conduct a mock drill to address the situation and rescue operations can be carried out properly in real conditions.

Special care must be taken in the rescue operations, especially for pregnant women, the elderly and children. At the village level people will also be sensitized through volunteers so that a system can be form to help the administration in this situation. In addition, to maintain social distance between the people after migration, three categories of shelter homes will be constructed, namely normal, suspicious and Corona infected. Thus, all precautions are being taken by the district administration to prevent the transmission of Coronavirus in double disaster situation.

The meeting was attended by District Development Officer Kiran Zaveri, District Police Chief Sudhir Desai, District Health Officer Uday Tilawat, Provincial Officer Vijay Patni and other officials.