| Response measures are those that are taken immediately prior to and following disaster impact. Such measures are aimed at saving lives and protecting property and dealing with the immediate damage caused by the disaster impact. Disaster response measures include those that are aimed at limiting casualties, alleviating hardship and suffering, restoring essential life support and community systems, avoiding further damage and losses, and providing the foundations for subsequent recovery. Based on the experience of the Kutch earthquake of 26th January 2001 which occurred on a massive scale spreading over 12-13 districts, it was realized that in order to respond effectively within the golden hour of occurrence of a disaster, there is a need for sophisticated equipments and trained personnel. |
| In countries which are frequently prone to major disasters, specialized Emergency Response Centers (ERC) have been set up, which houses trained personnel and response equipments. Hence the State Government decided to carry out a study on ‘Establishment of Emergency Response Centres’. The objective of this assignment was to ascertain the feasibility of establishing emergency response centres in Gujarat and in turn to determine the requirements in each of such centers in order to provide more effective and timely response to disasters. The study recommended establishing five such Regional Emergency Response Centres (ERCs) at strategic locations across the State. These ERCs were to be located at Gandhinagar/Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Gandhidham. Consequently, the State Government is in process of establishing five Regional Emergency Response Centres (ERCs) at suggested locations. |
| The State Government has also procured equipment / vehicles for these ERCs and has handed over the responsibility of operation and maintenance of ERCs and its associated equipment to the Fire & Emergency Services of respective Municipal Corporations of the State as per their location. |