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Taneja and Taneja

5.1. Leadership
Strong effective leadership with a clear command system is a must during disaster events to improve both outcomes for
casualties and the positive experience of the attenders (Filmer and Ranse, 2013). In EDS which involves multiple state
governments, effective leadership by federal government agencies like NDMA becomes very important. The federal
agencies need to not just ensure collaborative efforts of state government agencies (Waugh and Streib, 2006) but also
bottom-up approach (Arai, 2006; Musacchio, Falsaperla, Bernhardsdóttir, et al., 2016) in the form of participation by
district-level officials and community in the planning of such exercises.
5.2. Mass and Social Media

The growing adaption of Information and Communication Technologies and social networking platforms such
as WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook has created numerous opportunities (Imran, Castillo, Diaz, et al., 2015) of
information propagation that would not exist otherwise before, during, and after the disasters. However, harnessing
credible information about disaster events from social media is a very challenging task (McBride, Llenos, Page,
et al., 2020). If the right information is sifted through social media, it can facilitate the authorities to make better
decisions for emergency response (Yin, Karimi, Lampert, et al., 2015). Therefore, effective preplanning and timely
utilization of mass and social media are must for such mega Shakeout exercise to ensure community involvement.
As a part of preparedness exercises, the mass sensitization and awareness must be generated in a manner that is
impressionable and remains etched in the memories of the people at the time of disaster (McBride, Llenos, Page, et
al., 2020).

5.3. Vulnerability Assessment
Vulnerability assessment surveys and mock drills should be a part of ongoing activities of national, regional, and local
bodies for building sound programs to effectively mitigate the negative effects of natural disasters (Duzgun, Yucemen,
Kalaycioglu, et al., 2011) These vulnerability assessments should also include a periodic survey on existing knowledge
level, awareness and preventive practices of disaster management by the community (Dolce, Kappos, Masi, et al., 2006;
Goltz, Park, Nakano, et al., 2020). These assessments would help to design future media strategy, development of EDS,
and device action plans as done by Himachal Pradesh State Government in India.
5.4. Capacity Building

Regular Training of the Trainers at the state and district levels should be undertaken to ensure the outreach of such programs
(Kaur, 2006). To develop the capacity of the state, district, and local bodies’ officer focused executive development
programs (EDPs) for 2-4 days should be organized (Goltz, Park, Nakano, et al., 2020). EDPs on disaster management
should be made compulsory for all licensed and registered private practicing civil engineers, architects, and town planners
(Shaw, Gupta and Sarma, 2003). Three-day EDPs focusing on the application of earthquake safety-related codes and
standards should be organized for professionals working in the local bodies.

5.5. Training Material
For success and future utilization of tabletop exercises, conduct experts, simulation exercise building experts, and trainers
from both federal and state should work in synergy. A detailed trainer’s manual consisting of what is the scenario, learning
outcomes of tabletop exercise, how to conduct the tabletop exercise, etc., should also be developed which can be used
by the trainers during capacity building programs (Hosseini and Izadkhah, 2010). Further, Tabletop exercises need to be
further tailor-made as per the local needs (McBride, Llenos, Page, et al., 2020). Similarly, training materials should be
peer-reviewed and pretested before disseminating across the level.
5.6. Emergency Operating Centre

Competent agencies like Federal Government should help both technically and financially to build EOCs at each state and
district (Engelmann and Fiedrich, 2007) as this is the bare minimum requirement for the functioning of the IRS.

5.7. Community Participation
Before organizing mega shakeout exercises, small scale shakeout exercises should be organized in decentralized locations
to ensure effective community participation (Yin, Karimi, Lampert, et al., 2015). Single toll-free numbers for all types

International Journal of Population Studies | 2020, Volume 6, Issue 1 37