Disaster response teams to be pre-deployed in vulnerable areas

Disaster response forces of the Centre and those from the states today decided to pre-deploy their forces in areas vulnerable to impact of monsoon rains and floods in the next few months.
The decision was taken during an annual conference here hosted by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in which representatives of 18 State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs) participated to chalk out a plan to effectively combat the impact of rains and floods during the monsoon season.
NDRF Director General O P Singh fine-tuned and spelled out the strategy in this regard with the state forces, it was also decided to enhance community capacity building by raising disaster-related awareness among public and other agencies like the police, hospitals and fire department, etc.

A senior official said that during the meeting the NDRF chief assured full support to the SDRFs to mutually enhance disaster response in all chosen areas.
Over 9,000 personnel of various SDRFs have been trained by the NDRF so far in these tasks, the conference was informed.
"The aim of the conference is to develop synergy between all the stakeholders in the event of a disaster, whether man-made or natural," the official said.