As part of preparedness and readiness for contingency planning process for monsoon and flood control, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab and World Food Programme (WFP) organised a simulation exercise to identify gaps in planning and enhance the response capacities of the stakeholders.
The team of Pakistan and foreign specialists and facilitators, jointly led by Brigadier Mirza Kamran Zia, Member Operations NDMA and Peter Bowden Deputy Country Director WFP, is conducting the disaster management simulation in Lahore. Addressing the opening session, Deputy Country Director WFP, Peter Scott-Bowden shared the purpose of the simulation exercise.
He stated that simulation will provide an opportunity for relevant disaster management stakeholders to practice their organisation's response, decision-making processes, protocols and procedures. Appreciating the efforts of WFP, and PDMA Punjab, Major General Muhammad Saeed Aleem, Chairman NDMA, highlighted the importance of simulation in identification of gaps within planning and response mechanisms and preparation for anticipated monsoon season.
The simulation is based upon a realistic flood scenario in the Punjab province and split into two phases Early Warning & Preparedness and Initial Rapid Response. The WFP Readiness Initiative Team from Rome is also here to assist with the exercise. The areas selected for this year's exercise are the Districts of Sialkot, Sheikhupura and Narowal. A follow up national level exercise is scheduled to be run in 2015 to validate plans at provincial levels.
The participants / observers of the exercise include all the stakeholders of PDMA Punjab Provincial, concerned DDMAs, representatives of PDMAs KP, Sindh and Balochistan, emergency services 1122, concerned federal and provincial departments, NHEPRN, NHA, FFC, PMD, UN agencies, PRCS, Armed Forces and representatives of international and national NGOs.
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