JIPMER, Puducherry conducted a tsunami mock drill on 11 September 2025 from 08:00 am to 11:00 am as part of the disaster preparedness initiative of the Government of Puducherry, as per the recommendations of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The exercise aimed at testing the institutional readiness, inter-agency coordination, and emergency response protocols in the event of a natural calamity.

 

The Department of Emergency Medicine coordinated the drill in close collaboration with the Hospital office, Nursing section, Security & Fire services and other ancillary services. The exercise simulated a tsunami alert and the mass evacuation of injured victims to a safe ground. Nursing and Medical teams were involved in carrying out mass casualty triage of the evacuated injured patients with the support from Fire and Safety, Security, Stores, MRD, the Physical Education Department and Grounds staff. Eighty nursing students participated as volunteer simulated patients and their attenders.

The team performed START triaging, stabilized red and yellow zone patients, referred critical cases to higher centres and discharged green zone patients. This drill is an exercise to identify preparedness and gaps in existing understanding of the team members. 

As part of the exercise, the drill tested critical aspects of technical preparedness, including:

• Mobilization of adequate medical facilities for handling disaster-related emergencies
• Deployment of healthcare professionals across triage, emergency, and inpatient areas
• Availability and quick response of ambulance services for patient transport
• Implementation of emergency triage and casualty management protocols
• Simulation of evacuation and rescue procedures within hospital and community settings

 

Dr. Vinod Kumar, Officiating Medical Superintendent, JIPMER, who served as the official observer for the drill, commended the coordinated response demonstrated during the exercise. He noted that the drill highlighted the importance of timely action, inter-agency collaboration, and systematic preparedness, and expressed confidence that such exercises would further enhance JIPMER’s capacity to respond effectively in times of crisis.

Commenting on the Drill, Dr. Vir Singh Negi, Director, JIPMER emphasized the importance of regular preparedness activities by saying “Disaster preparedness is essential for a safer, stronger, and more resilient community. This mock drill reinforces our commitment to safeguarding lives and ensuring that our teams are fully trained to respond swiftly and effectively during emergencies.”

The drill concluded with a debriefing and feedback session.  

 

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