Kerala to create inventory of emergency rescue equipment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Kerala: In an effort to improve monsoon preparedness, thereby improving disaster preparedness, the southern state is planning to create reserves of emergency rescue equipment at the local level. The decision to create these reserves was taken during the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority’s (KSDMA) meeting, which was called by the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, to assess the status of monsoon preparedness in Kerala.

Kerala is bulking up its disaster response capabilities as the state is gearing up for an above-normal monsoon. In line with this, the Chief Minister has directed district administrations to conduct meetings in the first week of June, July and August to review the status of their disaster preparedness.

The availability of rescue equipment is essential during a disaster. Keeping that in mind a building or a place should be designated in all government bodies to house procured equipment and equipment taken on rent. This will reduce the emergency response time, which is crucial during any rescue operation in an emergency.

Local bodies in the state will be provided with adequate funding from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to create reserves for emergency response equipment. A gram panchayat will get ₹1 Lakh each, municipalities will get ₹3 lakh each and ₹5 lakh will be given to the corporations. If the fund is insufficient to create these reserves, the concerned local bodies must raise funding independently.

Also, once the monsoon season ends all the additionally purchased equipment should be kept under the supervision of the Fire and Rescue Service Department so they could be reused next time.

Also, the drainage systems in the state should be cleaned in anticipation of extremely heavy rainfall, that too, in a timely manner. The meeting also directed that a separate system should be devised to oversee this. As some cities in Kerala, including Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, are prone to water logging, they have been asked to continue Operation Breakthrough and Operation Anantha.

Tree branches, hoardings and poles, which can be a threat during the monsoon should be removed in a campaign mode so that the exercise could be completed before the monsoon arrives. Apart from that, the meeting also directed that all potholes on the roads should be removed on an immediate basis. Similarly, safety boards should be installed where there is an open drain or the covering slab is broken.

The Director of the Department of Local Self-Government has directed to make sure that the building identified for relief camps should have basic facilities like water, toilet and electricity. Citizens should also be informed of the location of such relief camps. In areas prone to landslides, training and awareness should be generated among citizens so that they could move to camps on their own. Other steps taken in the meeting to meet any contingency situation include installing hazard signs in major tourist locations and providing essential communication equipment to guards and other Forest officials.

The meeting also approved the Orange Book 2023, or standard operating procedures (SOPs) and new protocols of disaster management in Kerala.