Chandigarh: Punjab govt will conduct an air raid and blackout drill across all its districts at 8pm on Nov 27 to test and strengthen civil defence preparedness, said an official on Wednesday.The official said people have been advised not to panic as the exercise is routine. The official added the drill would begin with an air raid warning signal, which will be disseminated through sirens with a high-low pitch for two minutes. A blackout will then be enforced in areas identified by deputy commissioners.People in identified areas will be required to switch off all non-essential lighting. However, essential services will remain functional. Once the exercise is completed, an “all clear” signal will be sounded through a continuous high-pitch siren for two minutes, indicating the termination of the exercise, the official said.The spokesperson added the exercise will also simulate fire-response operations, search-and-rescue operations, first-aid and medical assistance, evacuation of injured persons, and traffic and crowd-control measures. These activities will help assess preparedness and response mechanisms of the civil defence system, he said.People have been advised not to panic, as this is a routine drill.
