Sasaram, August 23: In a bid to enhance rapid and effective medical response during disasters, AIIMS Patna organized a multi-agency full-scale live mock drill at the Karamchat Dam in Sasaram, Rohtas district.
The exercise involved participation from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Health Emergency Operations Center, police, fire and emergency services, NGOs, and medical professionals from AIIMS Patna. Located approximately 200 kilometers from AIIMS Patna, the drill aimed to test disaster preparedness, emergency medical response, mass casualty management, and coordination among various agencies.
The drill showcased the rapid deployment of the BHISHM Cube, a portable emergency medical center designed for disaster or mass casualty situations.
Prior to this, a tabletop exercise was held on July 24 at AIIMS Patna, focusing on disaster scenarios, necessary medical response arrangements, incident command systems, and inter-agency coordination, which laid the groundwork for the full-scale drill.
The simulated disaster scenario at Karamchat Dam depicted over 150 people engaged in leisure activities and boating. Following a hypothetical explosion, a chaotic situation was created with around 70 simulated casualties, including children, the elderly, and injured individuals.
The exercise evaluated incident command, safety and crowd management, triage, patient transfer, resuscitation, emergency medical treatment, technical rescue, resource management, and communication processes.
Professor (Dr.) Anil Kumar, head of the Trauma Surgery and Critical Care Department, led the exercise as the incident commander. The incident command team included clinical, resource, and safety leads. Walking wounded individuals were sent to the green zone, while those requiring immediate treatment and resuscitation were directed to the red zone. The drill managed 25 red zone and 45 green zone casualties.
Medical equipment, emergency supplies, examination facilities, and life-saving procedures available in the BHISHM Cube were demonstrated. This included neurosurgical treatment, chest tube insertion, hemorrhage control, stabilization, pain management, and triage. The cube’s digital inventory and resource-location identification system were also showcased. The NDRF team conducted rescue operations for individuals who fell into the dam’s water and for missing persons.
Around 30 volunteers from the Arjun Foundation participated as simulated casualties and role-players. A debriefing session was held with representatives from all agencies post-exercise, discussing shortcomings, challenges, and improvements for future drills. AIIMS Patna’s Executive Director, Professor (Brigadier) Dr. Raju Agarwal, commended the teams, emphasizing the institution’s commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness and response capabilities through such exercises in the future.
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