Flood Disaster Response at Tamil Nadu, S.India

REPORT TITLE: DISASTER MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR AFFECTED WOMEN

PROJECT TITLE: FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSE AT TAMILNADU, S.INDIA

PROJECT SITES:  KARUNGADAL AND PAZHAYAKAYAL THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT

           Karungadal village areas of thoothukudi district were affected heavily by the rain flood during the year 2015. People in this village had no understanding about the disaster. Therefore we explained about the disaster and trained them. Normally Disasters are of two kinds: One is Natural Disaster and other one is Artificial Disaster. What incidents will be occurred during the natural and artificial disaster?

DISASTER MANAGEMENT AWARENESS: What types of actions shall be taken during the disaster? How can we protect ourselves during the disaster? In what manner the elderly women and children can be protected? Also we must know clearly about the safety places. What are the evacuation routes to reach the places of protection such as schools, marriage halls, temples, churches, mosques etc., being not expected the resource committee how shall we work as the disaster resource committee? It was informed to the people in the village. Also they must know the safety places and the ways to reach them easily (places of protection &evacuation routes) also it was informed from which direction disaster will rise?  It was also taught to the people in the village.  It was explained to them through the picture drawn on the ground in the midst of the village.

 FIRST AID TRAINING AT KARUNKADAL: How shall we help the people in during the first aid to them? It was explained to the people as follows.During the time of disaster some vulnerable community may get injured in hands and legs. Because of this they may have bone fracture. In order to help the fractured victims whatever the clothes we have with us, those can be used for making bandages. And following this, we must make a knot in the cloth tap after it is tied around the neck and surroundings the hand also. Then only the fractured bone of the hand will not be shaken. During the head injury for a person how shall we control the hemorrhage from head using saree or dhoti etc? In this manner awareness was provided to the vulnerable community.

MOCK DRILL TRAINING: Basic needs of the victims shall be met during the disaster times. When a person gets injured and found in the unconscious condition or not in the walking condition we must help him. If he is an old man he must be carried at once to the place of protection as soon as possible. During that occasion bed sheet or saree can be used like a stretcher for that disaster affected person. So that patient would feel better as he goes now comfortably. This is a method to help a person who is unable to walk and independently work. Some people would have injury upon   leg. For the people also we can be helpful as much as possible by keeping his roles upon our feet we can help him to reach the hospital or the nearby clinic in a safe manner. In addition to this those who are entangled in fire accident can also be protected by covering their body with the clothes we have in our hands. It was also explained in what manner we can be helpful to them by covering them with the large and thick clothes such as bed sheets or saree or any thick dhoti. In this manner we can also safe and we can be fully cooperative in helping them as much as possible. It was explained in detail and with the practical demonstration. Varieties of mock trills were performed at their area itself. People in the village keenly gave their attention during this performance and they were happy and most of them decided to serve as the voluntary resource person during the disaster times in the days to come.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT TRAINING AT PAZHAYAKAYAL PANCHAYAT, SRIVAIKUNDAM BLOCK THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT: Disaster & Risk Management Training was provided to the people at Pazhayakayal village of Thoothukudi District. During the Disaster times usually people in this village would expect somebody to protect them from the disaster. They would expect Disaster Recovery Team. Generally Disaster are of 2 kinds. One is the Natural Disaster and the other one is Artificial Disaster. Regarding this Mrs. Sudha Baskar & Miss. Uthaya Trainers, Chevalier Roche Society provided the training for these people in the village as follows as.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT AWARENESS: During the year 2015 because of the heavy rain fall, river Thamiraparani over flown with water and village Pazhayakayal was affected heavily of the flood. Especially women, children and aged people were affected very much. Being considered this point, the Disaster Management and to prepare women to protect their own village people themselves. In this manner in order to prepare women for Disaster Recovery Groups this Training Programme was convened at this village pazhayakayal.

FIRST AID TRAINING PROGRAMME AT PAZHAYAKAYAL: During the Disaster times women get injured in their hands and legs. Some women get fracture in their hands or legs. During that occasion we must use the cloth such as Saree or Dhoti to make bandage surrounding their hand or leg. When somebody gets injured on her head, much bleeding will be found. It was also taught for them the manner of First Aid to be done. Especially in this manner First Aid can be done to the victims of the disaster. How the disaster affected persons can be taken to the nearby hospital or clinic. That was also demonstration and explained to the people.

MOCK DRILL PROGRAMME:  In some occasion during the disaster some will be found unconscious. If we find her in that condition we can help her by carrying her hands upon our shoulders or with the help of 2 persons using a bed sheet or a thick saree we can carry her to the 108 Ambulance or any hospital. If anybody else is injured another person may help the injured by keeping her sole upon our feet. With her hands she must hold our shoulders. In this manner we can walk with her. She will not feel much pain. It was also explained how to recover a person who meets the fire accidents. When she is into the fire at first for our protection we must cover our whole body with the bed sheet. Following that we can approach her with the thick bed sheet or saree, cover her body and press gently to quench the fire. For head also shall not be burnt severely. Hence the he also must be protected by covering her head with a thick cloth. This was also explained in detail orally and also with the practical demonstration. Every participant of the training understood well. They assure that they will be ready to serve and would try their best to save the lives of the victims during disasters in the future. They conveyed their heartfelt thanks to the organization Global Giving and Chevalier Roche Society.