MOCK DRILL FOUND NEW MEANING

This morning around 10:30 am, 2010 soccer world cup theme song blared from a small sound system and the students of my school rushed outside of their class rooms to an open space. Some couldn’t manage to get out. They had to lay down under the tables available nearby. The First AID Team says they succumbed to minor injuries. However there were no casualties.

Acting  almost like victims

Don’t you Worry…..as do ‘Eagles’ sing, It was just another MOCK DRILL on earthquake disaster conducted in the school. And the most sensible alarm or siren we could manage was shakira’s sensational ‘waka waka’ track. Students were acquainted to the song as it has served us as earthquake siren in the previous year also. Students were instructed to come out as soon as the song begins with that funny YEAAAAAAA……But the mock drill was conducted much elaborately. Thanks to new staffs namely Mr. sonam Dorji sir and Mrs Tenzin Wangmo who initiated the program.

The students were however briefed as of who shall lay under the tables and pretend to be unconscious, how many will run to the football ground with the expression of nervousness and fear and finally who shall hide elsewhere within the school compound to make the rescue team sweat.

the best place on earth to hide

Few senior students were handpicked to assist the three main departments namely First AID Team, Rescue Team and Attendance Team. The First AID Team was led by two ladies of the school; Miss Yashoda Sharma (who is wearing the gown) and Mrs Tenzin wangmo. Miss Yashoda Sharma later joked that her childhood dream of serving as a Doctor got fulfilled, though for few minutes.

victims are looked after

The Attendance Team was led by the Principal of the school and me. However I was mostly engaged as the disaster Photographer (I guess I named myself correctly). The photo below might mislead you of me for an aspiring politician bargaining votes based on false promises as THEY do.

Mr. comforter

The third Team was acted upon by Lopen Nado , Mr. Sonam Dorji and the school caretaker Mr. Kinchub Tshering.

Rescue in action

As the imagined calamity was underway, the Rescue Team found themselves in the game of hide and seek as few victims never wanted to turn up even after the mock drill was called off . The First AID team was fully emerged in treating the wounded that the earphones stethoscope got overused. And the Attendance Team didn’t face any problem as the survivors were fed with free show to enjoy. Nevertheless, in the words of the principal, everybody did a fabulous job.

earphones as stethoscope

At the end of the day, what I found more interesting, apart from the awareness we could create, was that the acting victims found a platform to showcase their ACTING skills and they were pleading the First Aid Team to pour some red inks on their hands and legs and insisting the Rescue Team for one more game of hide and seek!