After monsoon, cyclone and earthquake preparedness, the Mumbai civic body has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to tackle Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) attacks. The SOP includes an off-site plan, which is Geographic Information System (GIS)-enabled, giving details of shelters, transportation and medical facilities nearby in the event of any such attack.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will create a dedicated CBRN unit at King Edward Memorial Hospital, which will later be replicated in all government hospitals.
According to officials, the current plan needs to be strengthened in terms of assigning responsibilities and fixing liability in case of an emergency. The plan include details of how to respond to such attacks – from evacuation to providing quick medical assistance and organising shelters. Under the SOP, 200 Central Disaster Response Force (CDRF) personnel, doctors and paramedics will be trained on how to provide first aid, evacuation, handling the injured, among others. The SOP also lists all kinds of chemical attacks, the antidotes and their availability.
Read more about the government’s plans here.