India Prepares to Enhance Civil Defence Capabilities Amid Rising Threats
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The Directorate General of Civil Defence, Fire Services, and Home Guards is working on an updated civil defence manual to better equip civilians in times of war or disaster. The manual, set to be completed in the coming months, will address the specific needs of India's 244 vulnerable civil defence towns. The move comes after nationwide mock drills earlier this year highlighted the need for a standardised approach to civil defence. The exercises, conducted across 244 districts and 150 non-civil defence districts, revealed gaps in preparation and training. To address these issues, the government is launching a mass training program for 500 master trainers, who will then instruct 90,000 civil defence volunteers on new challenges and preparations for war-like situations. The recruitment of civil defence volunteers has seen a significant surge, with over 5.95 lakh registered members and 80,000 new applications received after the mock drills. To prepare the new manual and training modules, the agency is hiring three senior consultants with experience in disaster management. The government has also taken steps to modernise the Air Raid Warning System and enhance community awareness drives. The civil defence manual is expected to introduce changes and updates based on the lessons learned from the mock drills, ensuring that civilians are better equipped to handle emergency situations.
