Mock Drill in association with NDRF 10th Battalion held at Bitragunta Railway Station

 South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division  jointly conducted Mock Drill in association with NDRF 10th Battalion and Civil Defence Organisation, SCR under the supervision of Shri M. Srikanth, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Operations, Vijayawada Division at Bitragunta Railway Station near C&W Office on 26th May, 2023. 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, CDO staff 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 and Accident 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 08.20 am with the ringing of alarm at the Bitragunta Station and underwent till 12.30 hrs in the forenoon with a total of 150 Railway staff taking part in rescue and restoration operations. A condemned coach and Medical Relief Van were placed at the Bitragunta 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 ART's, but also to train them in entering the derailed coaches in typical situations where all possible ways of entering the blocked coaches. The site of the accident was perfectly replicated by the staff. All the coordinating teams of State govt like 108 services, Fire Safety, GRP  and RPF took part in this multi department exercise 

Details of the Mock Drill Exercise:

• After the siren went off NDRF, CDO staff 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.
• NDRF & SPARMV staff demonstrated rescue operations from the condemned coach.
• NDRF 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.
• For passengers stranded on the top of coaches and unconscious passengers, Chain Knot method and window rescue with stretcher were performed respectively
• 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 and rescue passengers in inflamed coaches. 
• Basic Life Support and care for unconscious passengers were also demonstrated by the NDRF team.
• 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.
• Later the coaches were rerailed using hydraulic jacks in most skilled way.

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. Srikanth, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Operations, Vijayawada Division 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. Srikanth, ADRM 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 passenger’s casualties. ADRM appreciated the NDRF, Civil Defence and SPARMV staff of Vijayawada for conducting the mock drill efficiently and rescuing the stranded passengers in the golden hour.

Shri J. Srinath, Sr. DSO; Shri M Ravi Kiran, Sr DME, Shri P.V. Ramana Rao, Sr DEN, South, Dr. P. Sudhakar, DMO, Bitragunta, Shri Ch Suresh, AOM Shri Subramaniam ADME Shri Robin Kumar, Inspector, NDRF 10th Battalion  Shri T. Sudheer Babu, Sr. CDI; Shri Pradeep Kumar, Inspector, 10th Battalion, NDRF, other officials and staff were present.