The Ghana Armed Forces and other National Emergency Response Agencies have staged a simulation exercise to test their readiness to combat future earthquake disasters.
The GAF was assisted by officers from the Ghana Police Service, National Ambulance Service, Ghana National Fire Service and NADMO Management Response Team to undertake the one and half hour exercise at the Trade Trade Fair Center, La.
The exercise forms part of the collaboration between NADMO and the Government of the United States of America (North Dakota National Guard) to regularly test Ghana’s preparedness to address future disasters, especially in the area of destructive earthquakes.
Ghana experienced a destructive earthquake in 1939, which took seven lives and destroyed unaccountable properties in Accra.
Based on that evidence, the occasional exercise has been imperative to prepare the emergency response agencies as well as test the resources available to them to combat disasters should they occur.
Major Robert Tetteh Djidjan, the Officer Commanding, 481 Squadron from the 48 Engineers Regiment, who led the exercise, said the exercise was successful, though they had few obstacles, but the officers were up to their game and managed to avert a number of casualties.
“Family members and friends of the victims flooded the disaster scene making it difficult to have access to the victims trapped under debris.
“We managed to rescue three people, but we lost the fourth person. The rescued were evacuated for treatment,” he added.
Mr Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, the Director-General of NADMO appealed to the religious bodies to keep the country in their prayers against any form of disaster.
He said: “Ghana is not immune to disasters as it had its records dated back in 1939.
“We are not hoping for any reoccurrence of disaster but it’s appropriate to get ourselves prepared for any eventualities,” he added.
He, however, gave the assurance that NADMO and its stakeholders in national emergency response were ready interns of logistics and other resources to manage any future disasters.
Mr Agyemang-Prempeh also expressed the Government of Ghana’s appreciation to the Government of United States of America (North Dakota National Guard) for the continuous support to ensure that Ghana is combat ready for disasters.
Source: GNA
