A capacity development training program with a range of activities
With the aim of responding to disaster situations, minimizing disaster risk and providing relief to Kegalle District, a district that is constantly affected by disasters, a "Disaster Management Capacity Development Program" was organized by the District Disaster Management Unit on 16 July 2025 at the Kegalle Youth Corps premises. How to deal with weather conditions and other disasters that affect the district at various times? And how to behave practically in such cases? The program was carried out with the aim of informing the Assistant Divisional Secretaries, Deputy Directors of Planning and Assistant Directors, Administrative Officers and Administrative Grama Niladharis of the Divisional Secretariats. Kegalle District Secretary / Government Agent H. M. J. M. It is noteworthy that this program, which was held under the patronage of Herath Mahatma, was organized as a one-day successful workshop. In this program to raise awareness about disaster mitigation and preparedness, it is also a very important task to educate the staff officers on how to act in the event of an emergency fire through practical activities.

Also, the staff officers were informed by introducing the equipment (P P Kit) used in such an emergency and a physical exercise (drill) feature was presented to the officers present by P. W. N. Kumar Mahatma, Training Advisor of the Youth Corps, providing a warm-up for the welcome and the start of the program. The purpose was explained by the District Secretary and "Practical use of (P P E) for disaster management response activities" was informed by the Deputy Director of the District Disaster Management Unit, K. G. Mahendra Jagath Mahatma, with practical activities.
Pointing out that practical activities are very important in any pre-training program, Mr. P. W. N. Kumara Mahatma provided resources to the program through the activities "Importance of Action in an Emergency Situation" and Mr. Prasanna Udaya Kumara Mahatma provided resources to the program through the activities "Leadership Training Activities for Disaster Management".
The specialty of this program is that lunch is also provided through a practical activity, that is, "Preparing food and eating lunch using the equipment provided during a camp". Among these resource contributors, Mr. Lahiru Sampath of the Gampaha Disaster Management Unit and the Mawanella Fire Department provided support to the program by presenting many practical activities with operational equipment used in an emergency. This was a successful one-day workshop that went beyond a one-day program and lasted from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm with many practical activities. All officers of the Division, including the above-mentioned officers, participated in this one-day workshop organized by the District Disaster Management Unit.