The Unsung heroes
KOCHI: When news broke that the shutters at Idamalayar and Idukki dams were opened, all units of the nation and the state - from Armed Forces to the Fire and Rescue team to the common man - stepped in to help the people affected by the devastating floods.
Preparations for the challenging task of Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) was completed much before the water came gushing down.
Battling all odds, the district administration officials and an entire action force comprising the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Navy and Coast Guard teams, Police forces and the Fire and Rescue Services stood vigil spending sleepless nights to help the needy. They are truly the unsung heroes.
Fire and Rescue Services
Anarul, a 20-year-old migrant labour and native of Assam, was rescued by the Fire and Rescue Services when he got stranded at Kuttikattukara on Saturday. The Fire force rushed to the scene following a tip-off from the Eloor Fire Station and found him clinging on the branch of a tree in gushing water, all cold and panicky. “Anarul didn’t know how to swim and he was shivering. We threw him a rope from the rubber boat and pulled him to safety. By the time we rushed him to the nearby ESI Hospital, he was having a high fever,” said Anilkumar S, a fireman who was one among the team which conducted the rescue operations.
From all the 24 fire stations in the district, around 30 teams were deployed in several regions. “A team consists of nearly 17 members. Besides, around 300 members from the Fire Force Academy were also deployed at several areas,” said Anilkumar.
NDRF
The NDRF teams from across the country reached Kochi earlier this month to conduct evacuation operations. “The local people in Kerala, unlike other states, act according to the gravity of the situation. They cooperated with the evacuation operations. We are always in our uniform ready for action 24 hours without even sleep. It has been four days since we have had a sound sleep,” said Sasikumar K, Laison Officer NDRF.
The Administration
The district administration headed by District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla and other officials, including the Revenue Department, State Disaster Management Authorities, Deputy and District Disaster Management authorities, and police personnel, were constantly on their toes. “It is a team effort that succeeded with timely cooperation and coordination. OVer 350 units were sent to multiple locations in the district including Aluva, Paravur, Kunnathunad, Kanayannur, Cherai, and Chelanamattom.,” said Deputy Collector K Madhu.
Coast Guard
Two helicopters were conducting the aerial surveillance from morning to evening for over a week keeping track of the flow of the river in the areas of settlements. Three teams were deployed in Aluva and two were on standby. “There were over 12 people in each team with divers, swimmers, and team leaders. They were all ready to swing to action even at nights,” said K L Arun, Operations Officer, Coast Guard.