Punjab to Hold Statewide Mock Blackout Drill on November 27

Punjab will conduct a statewide mock blackout exercise on November 27 at 8 pm to assess and strengthen civil defence preparedness across all districts, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The exercise will begin with an air raid warning signal, which will be communicated through sirens emitting a high-low pitch for two minutes.

During the drill, a simulated blackout will be enforced in areas identified by the respective deputy commissioners-cum-controllers of civil defence. Residents in these designated areas will be asked to switch off all non-essential lights for the duration of the exercise.

However, essential services will continue to function during the simulated blackout, the spokesperson said.The exercise will conclude with an ‘all clear’ signal, sounded through a continuous high-pitch siren for two minutes, indicating that the mock drill has ended.

Besides testing blackout procedures, the exercise will simulate several emergency response scenarios. These will include fire-fighting operations, search and rescue efforts, first-aid and medical assistance, evacuation of injured people, as well as traffic and crowd control measures.

Officials said the exercise is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of existing civil defence arrangements and identify areas that may require improvement in emergency preparedness and response.

The mock drill will provide authorities with an opportunity to assess coordination among various agencies and their ability to respond to simulated emergencies in a coordinated manner.

The general public has been advised not to panic during the exercise, as the blackout and emergency signals are part of a routine preparedness drill.Authorities have urged residents in the identified areas to follow instructions issued during the exercise and cooperate with civil defence personnel to ensure that the mock exercise is conducted smoothly.

The drill is expected to help strengthen Punjab's overall preparedness to respond to emergencies and improve the efficiency of its civil defence response mechanisms.