In an effort to strengthen disaster preparedness and enhance the capacity of block-level officials and frontline responders in effectively managing emergencies,the office of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), East Jaintia Hills Districttoday the 25th November, 2025 organized a Training Programme on Block Incident Response Team (IRT) for officials of both Wapung and Lumshnong C&RD Blocks.
Held at theoffice of the Block Development Officer, Wapung C&RD Block, Khliehriat, the training programme was attended by District Disaster Management officer (DDMO), East Jaintia Hills District, Smti. Donna L. Kharkongor, Junior Rural Development Officer (JRDO), WapungC&RD Block, Smti. N Dkhar, Fireman, Fire & Emergency Service, East Jaintia Hills District, Shri. H Lamare, Havaldar, Civil Defence & Home Guards, West Jaintia Hills District, Shri. P Ranee, Gram Sevaks of both Wapung and LumshnongBlock and Self-Help Group (SHG) representatives.
District Disaster Management officer (DDMO), East Jaintia Hills District, Smti. Donna L. Kharkongor in her address during the program highlighted the importance of the Incident Response System (IRS) as a structured and coordinated approach for managing emergencies. She explained how the IRS helps streamline roles, responsibilities and communication among various response teams, ensuring that actions are carried out efficiently during disasters.
Further, she also elaborated on the Incident Response System (IRS), explaining that it is a standardized framework used during disasters to ensure clear leadership, proper coordination and smooth communication among all responding agencies. The IRS outlines specific rolessuch as that of the Incident Commander, Operations Section, Planning Section and Logistics Sectionso that every team member knows their responsibilities during an emergency.
She further explained that by following the IRS, response efforts become faster, more organized and more effective, reducing confusion and helping save lives during critical situations. Smti. Kharkongor also emphasized that understanding this system is crucial for improving preparedness, reducing response time and strengthening overall disaster management at the block and community levels.
As part of the programme, the Civil Defence and Home Guards team provided a detailed explanation and live demonstration on essential first aid techniques. They trained and demonstrated participants on how to use clean cloth as a temporary bandage. The team also showed practical methods for providing initial support during fractures, head injuriesand jaw dislocations to stabilize the victim before professional medical help arrives. They also trained participants on how to improvise stretchers using easily available materials, ensuring that communities are able to respond effectively even with limited resources.
The team from the Fire and Emergency Services educated participants on essential fire safety measures and guided them on how to respond effectively during fire emergencies. They explained the common causes of fire, the types of materials that can easily ignite and the precautions needed to prevent such incidents. The team elaborated on the correct and safe method of using fire extinguishers, teaching participants how to control and extinguish small fires before professional help arrives, ensuring quick action and enhanced community safety.
