Mock Drill in association with Civil Defense Organization, SCR held at Wagon Depot, Vijayawada

South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division & Guntur Division jointly conducted Mock Drill in association with Civil Defence Organization, SCR under the supervision of Shri M. Vijaya Kumar, Chief Rolling Stock Engineer, SCR at Mineral Siding near Wagon Depot, Vijayawada on 11th March, 2022. Dr. V. B. Manoj, Assistant Chief Medical Superintendent, Railway Hospital, Vijayawada, also took part in the Mock Drill exercise. Self Propelled Accident Relief Medical Van (SPARMV) staff of Vijayawada & Guntur Divisions, Civil Defence Organization (CDO), SCR Personnel and 10th Battalion NDRF jointly performed the Mock Drill exercise.

The basic objective of conducting this mock drill is to train the staff working in Medical Relief Trains to play vital role in extraction of passengers and move them to the nearest hospital for treatment, which will help in saving precious lives and minimize the casualties. Mock Drill Exercise started at 10.30 am with the ringing of alarm at the mineral siding and underwent till 12.15 hrs in the afternoon with a total of 100 Railway staff taking part in rescue and restoration operations. A condemned coach and Medical Relief Van were placed at the Mineral siding near Wagon depot for the purpose of mock drill exercise. This exercise is not only aimed at training the staff in using the state of art Hydraulic Rescue Devices that are available in MRVs, but also to train them in entering the derailed coaches in typical situations where all possible ways of entering the blocked coaches.

Details of the Mock Drill Exercise:-

Initially, CDO team demonstrated various techniques for carrying injured passengers like cradle lift, Single man human crutch, pick a back and cloth lift from the accident site.

Various fire fighting techniques were demonstrated using fire extinguishers, wet cloth, sodium bicarbonate etc. in the advent of a fire breakout during any derailments or accidents.

Various techniques to put off fire from gas cylinders especially during fire accidents in kitchens were demonstrated.

Basic Life Support and care for unconscious passengers were also demonstrated by the CDO team.

Later, CDO & SPARMV staff demonstrated rescue operations from the condemned coach.

SPARMV rushed to the condemned coach and started cutting the window iron grills and the side bodies of the coach to split open the coaches and rescue the wounded passengers

Civil Defence staff rushed into the coaches for rescuing the injured passengers.

For passengers stranded on the top of coaches and unconscious passengers, Chain Knot method and window rescue with stretcher were performed respectively.

The injured passengers are rushed to the caravan arranged first Aid services are rendered and are rushed to MRV or ambulance depending on the gravity of injury.

Dr. V.B Manoj, ACMS supervised the rescue operations, Basic Life Support care, CPR technique to critical patients and medical staff preparedness at the accident site.

Shri M. Vijaya Kumar, Chief Rolling Stock Engineer, SCR interacted with media and briefed them regarding the Do’s and Don’ts for passengers while undertaking journey to avoid any fire accidents. Speaking on the occasion, Shri M. Vijaya Kumar, CRSE, SCR said that it is a multiple department exercise, as a part of periodical training to the staff of Mechanical, Safety, Medical and S&T Departments to help them be prepared in times of exigency for quick and swift response to undertake rescue operations in minimum possible time to reduce rail passengers casualties. CRSE appreciated the CDO and SPARMV staff of Vijayawada and Guntur Division for conducting the mock drill efficiently.

Shri G.Uday Bhaskar, CDO, Vijayawada; Shri Lucky Dubey, ADME, Goods; Shri Ch. Srinivasa Murthy, ADME, C&W; Ms. Nusrat Mandrupkar, PRO/BZA; Shri T. Sudheer Babu, Sr. CDI; Shri V. Ramesh, Inspector, 10th Battalion, NDRF, other officials and staff were present.

(SCR BZA PR No. 127 Dt: 11th March, 2022)