NDMA holds Winter Contingency Plan & Preparedness Coordination Conference with key Stakeholders

ISLAMABAD, Nov 24, (SABAH): In wake of winter-related emergencies, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) organized the first Winter’s Contingency Plans and Preparedness Coordination Conference on Thursday.

Chairman NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik presided the meeting. Representatives of PDMAs/SDMA/GBDMA, Emergency services, PMD, WAPDA, SUPARCO, NHA, Armed Forces, ICT, and Emergency Response Agencies/ (Rescue 1122) attended the important conference. Thursday’s conference was first of its kind, undertaken as a proactive measure to establish coordination among all stakeholders enabling them to take preventive measures to save precious lives and infrastructure damage during winter season.

Chairman NDMA underlined the urgent need of collaborated and synergized response within diaphragm of potential disaster risk in different areas of the country. He emphasized on adopting the advanced and technology-driven disaster management and public awareness campaigns to stave off intersecting challenges of climate change. Chairman NDMA also highlighted that NDMA is working on formulation of ‘Disaster/risk Calendar’ based on foreseeable disasters for generating region-specific emergency alerts along with coordination of relevant departments in vulnerable areas during a year. In addition, he hinted on disaster management audit of different disaster prone areas to pitch guidelines, customized emergency plans and rapid need assessment along with stocking at warehouses and logistics needs.

During the conference, DG PDMAs and Rescue Agencies briefed about winters preparedness and contingency plans along with stock status for hazard-prone areas. Chairman NDMA directed the relevant departments to conduct simulation exercises based on potential emergency scenarios for efficient execution of contingency plans. A combined national level mock exercise for winter contingency plans was agreed by all participants to be held during 1st week of Dec 2022.