In the framework of the project "Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction for people with disabilities in Quang Tri Province" from September 30th to October 2nd 2015, SRD cooperated with the district's steering committee and the project commune in organizing a village-level rehearsal for natural disaster prevention. The goal of the rehearsal was improving the organization, administration, and skills of the village in responding to natural disasters and raising people's awareness of disaster preparedness before the storm season in 2015.
More than 180 people attended the rehearsal including representatives of several district departments; the Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control – Commune/Village Search and Rescue; and people from the Tan Luong village in the Hai Chanh commune, the Lam Thuy village in the Hai Vinh commune, and the East Tan An village in the Hai An commune.
The rehearsal circumstances were based on the actual conditions of the tropical storm with winds of level 10 and wind forces 11-12 that would enter the Quang Tri province the following 15-20 hours bringing heavy rain and widespread flooding. After receiving the emergency call from the district's people's committee and direction from the commune, the chief led the village's steering committee for flood and storm control - search and rescue in the meeting to discuss plans for responding to the storm and handling emergency situations according to the commune's steering committee requirements. Then, the members of the steering committee conducted the assigned tasks such as delivering early warnings (giving priority to the people with disabilities (PwDs) in the village), supporting people to reinforce their homes and transfer their belongings to higher ground, and helping evacuate people and their property to safe places.
Activities in the rehearsal:
The support team helped reinforce house in temporary condition
Early evacuation for people with disabilities
Finally, the members conducted a debriefing meeting to share lessons learnt and additional plans for natural disaster prevention.
After the rehearsal in the Tan Luong village of the Hai An commune, Mr. Le Van Phap--Village Chief—said "as the chair of the village steering committee for flood and storm control, this is the first time that I have been involved in managing the rehearsal of natural disaster prevention. Being very close to local situations, my colleagues and I have an opportunity to identify the shortcomings in our response to natural disasters. We have learned many things from the rehearsal such as the emergency procedures, giving vulnerable people priority in the information warning system, and support activities...we will learn from experience and apply our knowledge in up-coming actual situations"
-SRD-
Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD)
No.31, Alley 19 Kim Dong Street, Hoang Mai District, Ha Noi
Phone: +84 24 3943 6676/78 | Fax: +84 24 3943 6449
