A first aid demonstration at the disaster response drill in Tam Quan Bắc Secondary School. — Photos courtesy of the organisers

GIA LAI — As climate risks intensify, a disaster preparedness drill was held on Tuesday for teachers and students in Gia Lai Province to raise awareness and strengthen response skills in the face of growing vulnerabilities.

The activity was jointly organised by Tam Quan Bắc Secondary School, the Việt Nam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) and UNDP in Việt Nam.

The drill comprised three main components: a mechanism exercise, an evacuation drill responding to multiple hazards, and first-aid scenario simulations integrated into the evacuation process, alongside practice in activating emergency warning systems.

Speaking at the event, VDDMA deputy director general Nguyễn Văn Tiến stressed that strengthening disaster response capacity from the school level is a vital foundation for ensuring student safety and building a proactive, resilient society in the face of disasters and climate change.

Schools, he noted, are not only places for acquiring knowledge but also environments where life skills are formed, including skills for disaster prevention and risk response.

Students participate in the disaster response drill at Tam Quan Bắc Secondary School.

As a development partner, UNDP in Việt Nam’s head of the climate change, energy and environment unit, Vũ Thái Trường, said: “While disasters can strike unexpectedly, early preparation, starting in schools, helps students remain calmer and safer, while contributing to long-term community resilience.”

Investment in disaster risk education is an investment in a sustainable future, he added.

Representing the school, teacher Trịnh Văn Siêm of Tam Quan Bắc Secondary School said that through the drills, students were trained to follow instructions, coordinate under teachers’ guidance and remain calm when facing emergency situations.

“The exercise also provided an opportunity for the school to review and assess coordination and command capacities and to draw lessons to refine disaster response plans in line with real conditions,” he said.

Since January 16, around 1,000 students, teachers and relevant stakeholders have taken part in disaster drills organised at Cát Chánh, Hoài Hải, Cát Tiến and Tam Quan Bắc secondary schools.

The drills form part of the project Support for Strengthening Multi-Hazard Preparedness and Response Drills in Schools in Vulnerable and Disaster-Prone Coastal Provinces, implemented by the Centre for Environmental Fluid Dynamics (CEFD) in coordination with UNDP, the VDDMA and the Japanese embassy in Việt Nam.

On this occasion, participating schools were also provided with equipment to support disaster response efforts, helping to strengthen preparedness and ensure safety for teachers and students. — VNS