To enhance public preparedness against potential terror attacks and emergencies, the district administration of Visakhapatnam conducted comprehensive civil mock drills on Wednesday evening at various locations, including Rani Bomma Center and Queen Mary Girls High School in One Town. The initiative, held under the directives of the Central Government, aimed to educate citizens on emergency response protocols through realistic simulations.

The demonstrations were supervised by SDRF Inspector General Rajakumari, District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad, Police Commissioner Shankha Brata Bagchi, and Joint Collector K. Mayur Ashok. Participating teams included the Civil Defence, Fire Department, SDRF, NDRF, Police, GVMC, Health, Revenue, Civil Supplies departments, and volunteers.

At Rani Bomma Center, the mock drill simulated a terrorist attack using smoke bombs. The Fire Department controlled the blaze while SDRF and NDRF teams conducted swift rescue operations, evacuating individuals via ladders and staircases. Temporary medical camps provided first aid to the ‘injured’.

Simultaneously, at Queen Mary Girls High School, SDRF teams demonstrated rescue techniques tailored to school emergencies, such as evacuating students and staff using ropes and guiding them to safety zones. The public was shown how SDRF’s specialized equipment functions during high-risk operations.

To reinforce preparedness, blackout drills were conducted later that night at One Town and Seethammadhara Oxygen Towers. These drills involved temporary power cuts to simulate responses during potential night-time terror scenarios.

District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad announced that such mock drills would be expanded to all ward secretariats in Visakhapatnam. He emphasized that these exercises are crucial in training both citizens and emergency teams to act decisively in crises. “The city is well-equipped and committed to public safety,” he assured during a press briefing.

The administration organized the event to highlight inter-agency coordination and the importance of civic awareness in managing threats like bomb blasts and terror incidents.