SHILLONG, FEB 10: Shillong Airport on Monday conducted a large-scale State-Level Disaster Management Mock Exercise to assess emergency preparedness and evaluate the effectiveness of the Airport Emergency Plan.
The exercise, held from 12.40 pm to 2.00 pm, simulated an earthquake scenario leading to structural collapse and a subsequent fire outbreak within the airport premises.
The drill was jointly organised by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA) and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and focused on coordinated multi-agency response involving search and rescue, fire-fighting, medical triage, and passenger evacuation.
A total of 128 personnel from various agencies participated in the exercise, including the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and local police for security and crowd management; fire services of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the state for fire suppression and rescue; medical teams for emergency care; airlines and AAI officials for passenger evacuation and terminal operations; and the district administration for overall coordination and resource deployment.
The exercise commenced with the sounding of the emergency siren at 12.40 pm, triggering immediate activation of the Airport Emergency Plan. During the drill, 42 passengers were evacuated from the simulated danger zone. Medical teams provided on-site treatment to 14 passengers with minor injuries, while three passengers with major injuries were stabilised and referred to the district hospital. One simulated fatality was included to test forensic and administrative response protocols.
The mock exercise was observed by expert officials, including S. S. Raju, Deputy General Manager (CNS), Inspector/Executive Monika Borgohain of CISF, and Mumni Gogoi of Alliance Air.
A post-exercise debriefing session was chaired by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Ri-Bhoi) and the Chief Airport Security Officer (CASO). The participating departments were commended for their prompt response and coordination, while areas requiring improvement in response time and operational efficiency were identified.
Authorities said the successful conduct of the exercise reflects the commitment of Shillong Airport and the Meghalaya government to maintaining high standards of safety, security, and disaster preparedness for the travelling public.
