Earthquake School Drill at the “Selami Hallaqi” Primary School in Gjilan
The year 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the devastating Skopje Earthquake (1963) which had a
major impact also in Kosovo. Currently the Kosovo Institute of Seismology is a sector of the Mining
Department within the Ministry for Economic Development and is lacking capacity in terms of staff and
resources. Children at school are not trained how to behave in case of earthquakes, no school drills are
being organized and there is a lack of initiative at local level to do such preparedness activities. The most
at risk Municipality from earthquakes according to Earthquake Risk Assessment Map in Kosovo is the
Municipality of Gjilan.
On 5th December 2013, The International Volunteer Day, UNDP
Kosovo, UN Volunteer, Save the Children and IFRC in partnership
with Emergency Management Agency/Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Red Cross of Kosova and Municipality of Gjilan organized an
Earthquake School Drill in order to support the Municipality of
Gjilan in capacity development for disasters such as earthquakes
are.
Beside the preparatory workshops that were organized for
teachers, school technical personnel and the local emergency
management authorities (Police, Firefighters, etc.), a specific
scenario was drafted to involve all relevant authorities at the
exercise. Every official authority had its role and responsibility
during the earthquake drill.
Emergency evacuation plans, information posters on how should a student behave during an
earthquake and fire, child specific brochure, fire distinguishers are some other emergency preparedness
and management asset which was provided to the school as necessary elements of a safe school
building.
Below you will find some pictures which show the process of the school drill.
UNDP thanks all involved national and internationals partners at this exercise for the excellent work and
collaboration.
A number of posters are placed in School corridors. It educates
students about fire and earthquake.
The banner prepared
specifically for this activity.
The same characters are used
for preparation of the
brochure and posters.
Emergency Evacuation Plans
placed on the walls.
Educational Earthquake preparedness brochure
designed for children.
.
Part of the Scenario: Earthquake happened at 11:45, after 5 minutes the emergency committee is
established and is taking decisions at the school yard. In the meanwhile all students are evacuated
beside the injured and trapped ones.
Part of the scenario: Evacuation Process ….
Part of the scenario: classroom with injured and trapped students.
Part of the scenario: Arrival of firefighters to distinguish the fire which was caused after the earthquake
and rescue the trapped students
Part of the Scenario: Red Cross Volunteers supporting the search and rescue services
Part of the Scenario: Emergency van treating the injured students
Part of the Scenario: Red Cross Volunteers handling students with disabilities
Part of the Scenario: Kosovo Police keeping the site clear/safe for search and rescue services from
curious and worried parents.
To every child was given the Family Disaster Plan brochure – family educational material about disasters
Key authorities and donors involved at the Earthquake School Drill