To ensure preparedness and undertake rescue operations during the northeast monsoon, the Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner, Sandeep Rai Rathore, has directed the establishment of the District Disaster Response Team-2023 (GCP-DDRT) in the 12 police districts. With the anticipation of heavy rainfall in Chennai and its suburbs during the monsoon season, these district disaster management teams have been put in place as a precautionary measure.
Each response team comprises 10 police personnel, led by a head constable, and is equipped with 21 rescue tools, including vehicles, rubber boats, life jackets, relief ropes, and other necessary gear. Specialized training in swimming and rescue operations has been provided to these teams, and they have been outfitted with distinctive jackets.
Traffic enforcement officers and policemen have been instructed to place barricades at locations prone to water stagnation and use public address systems to alert the public. Temporary control rooms with emergency numbers will operate round the clock in coordination with other relevant departments, including the Greater Chennai Corporation, the Public Works Department, and the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation.