Is Tehran Prepared for Floods?

The fourth flood survival and hands-on operational training program, held over two days under harsh conditions, kicked off at Persian Gulf Martyrs Lake with the participation of 30 rescue, operational and service units.

The fourth skill-building course and operational exercise of flood and survival in difficult conditions is being held in the Lake of Martyrs of the Persian Gulf.

Tehran is on the way to prepare to deal with floods

The fourth skill-building course and operational practice of flood and survival in difficult conditions for 2 days started with the participation of 30 rescue, operational and service devices in Shahada Lake of the Persian Gulf.

According to Ambassador Arjan, the fourth training course for flood and survival in difficult conditions started this morning with the presence of 30 rescue, operational and service devices in the northern area of Chitgar Lake. The purpose of this activity is to evaluate and monitor the special flood management program, estimate the necessary facilities and equipment to face the flood risk of the capital and empower the mayors of the districts to face the possible flood consequences.

Ali Nasiri, head of Tehran's Crisis Prevention and Management Organization, said in a conversation with Ambassador Arjan on the sidelines of the exercise: "The fourth flood exercise and survival skills training course in difficult conditions has started at the Martyrs Lake in the Persian Gulf. And that is in a situation where it is possible that Tehran and Iran will face the El Nino phenomenon this year and there is a possibility of torrential rains.

Establishing 7 training classes for relief forces

Pointing to the presence of relief units and the forces of the Crisis Prevention and Management Organization in the program, he said: The troops participate in field and field training classes and review and practice operational issues. In this regard, 7 classes will be held. On the other hand, about 30 relief, operational and service devices are participating in this 2-day course.

Nasiri further said: things like search and rescue operations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, management of dead bodies caused by floods, methods of crossing water, working with GPS, water hygiene and disinfection, environmental hygiene in floods, etc. are among the trainings related to floods. Also, working with different types of floor pumps and mud pumps is taught in the classes.

Emphasizing that in addition to the general exercise of various devices, there will be a specialized exercise for the fire brigade, emergency, the Red Crescent and other specialized devices, adding: in these exercises, the Red Crescent will test its boats, the emergency department will carry out casualty transfer and field triage, the fire department will dive, and the Crisis Prevention and Management Organization will take over the field management of the scene. ABFA and the electricity distribution company are practicing the specialized measures to be taken when a flood occurs.

The head of Tehran Crisis Prevention and Management Organization considered the implementation of such a plan as a good thing and added: With this method, the devices together practice life in the real conditions caused by the flood and do not just stay in the meeting rooms.

He added: the country is even facing the threat of war and may face other problems as well. But we try with strength and authority to carry out our usual plans. If there is a war, we should not ignore floods or earthquakes. We must show up with our maximum effort, wealth and operational capacity so that if something happens, we are not surprised and can carry out prearranged operational measures correctly and with maximum coordination.

Is Tehran ready for floods?

In response to the question whether Tehran is ready for floods, Nasiri said: Relief devices are the main devices that operate in flood conditions. Their duties are carefully described in the country's crisis management law and national programs under this law, including the national risk reduction program and the national preparedness and response program. Regarding Tehran's level of preparedness against floods, I must say that we are much more prepared than in the past. Of course, there are still many actions that need to be done. Currently, Tehran has 540 kilometers of underground tunnels, which were designed and implemented by Khakrizab Company.

He added: "There were no flood maps of Tehran in the previous periods of urban management." But now, it has been prepared by the forces of the prevention and flood department of the Tehra city crisis prevention and management organization with the cooperation of Shahid Beheshti University and the participation of various institutions. Now Tehran has flood zoning and flood risk zoning maps. Operational plans have also been prepared that specify which of Tehran's assets, such as hospitals and metro stations, are subject to flooding, what measures should be taken to reduce their risk and vulnerability, and what measures should be taken in the event of a flood. These programs have been prepared and communicated.

Attempts to resolve conflicts in underground tunnels

The head of Tehran Crisis Prevention and Management Organization added: Various organizations are trying to solve the problems of the underground tunnels. Some tunnels have been blocked due to the presence of water and gas pipes and other facilities, and these obstacles have created bottlenecks. Efforts are being made to resolve these issues gradually. Also, extensive measures are being taken to remove encroachment on the privacy and bed of rivers.

Emphasizing that crisis preparedness exercises are examples of preparation, he said: This year, although an exercise was held behind Taleghan Dam lake in Alborz province in Shahrivar month and about 500 people participated in it, we were not satisfied with the same exercise. This time, the exercise is being held with the large presence of the mayors of the districts (2 people from each district) and the forces of different departments of the municipality and organizations outside the municipality.

An exercise for operational forces to be together

Nasiri considered the most important part of learning in classes to be the familiarity, empathy and familiarity of rescuers, operational forces and activists in incidents such as floods and added: In this place, the forces get to know each other, they get to know the working literature of other organizations closely, and they know each other's work problems. During the training, they learn to act more harmoniously, fluently and flexibly with each other in a real accident, and the gears of the devices do not get stuck in the interaction, so that they can save lives and save possible victims of accidents more quickly.

This exercise was carried out with the participation of the crisis management of the Ministry of Interior, the crisis management of the Tehran Governorate, the Tehran Governorate, the Mohammad Rasulullah (PBUH) Corps of Greater Tehran, the Red Crescent Society of Tehran Province, the Emergency Department of Tehran Province, the Tehran Province Abfai Company, the Greater Tehran Electric Power Distribution Company, the Fire and Urban Services Organization, Behesht Zahra Organization (PBUH), the General Directorate of Urban Services and the Technical and Civil Engineering Deputy of Tehran Municipality, popular volunteer groups, jihadi groups and a group of university professors for 2 days in It is held in the area of Chitgar Lake in Tehran.