A district-level mock drill under the Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx) was successfully conducted at Shamator with active participation from the District Administration, response teams and allied departments.

The exercise was carried out in coordination with a rescue team from the 12 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and involved all line departments under Shamator district, demonstrating a unified approach towards disaster response and preparedness. As part of the drill, four strategic locations were identified to simulate emergency scenarios, including a school, a fuel station, a market area and the Community Health Centre (CHC). Each site focused on specific response mechanisms such as evacuation procedures, fire safety, crowd management, medical emergency handling and coordinated rescue operations. The mock drill aimed to enhance inter-departmental coordination, assess preparedness levels and sensitise stakeholders on their roles and responsibilities during emergencies. Officials emphasised that in the event of a disaster, all government institutions and personnel function as stakeholders in response and mitigation efforts.

The exercise witnessed active involvement from various departments, emergency responders, and community members, reflecting a strong commitment towards building a resilient and prepared district. The programme concluded with a debriefing session, where observations were shared and areas for improvement were identified to further strengthen disaster preparedness mechanisms in the district.

(L. Shahoto Yimchunger, IA Shamator)