Both the community and the administration should be kept ready to save lives. The death toll in an earthquake can only be curtailed if the standards for building construction are not flouted. The concept of regular fire drills in residential buildings, schools and public premises are absent. Under the district collector's supervision, the police, home guards, the department of health and public works department are mobilised. The fire, transport, power, telecommunication and municipal departments are instructed to be on alert.
Food supplies are organised.
Control rooms or emergency operating centres are set up, both at the district and state level, depending on the magnitude of the disaster. Former Maharashtra chief secretary J B D'Souza, who participated in relief operations in Punjab during Partition, after the collapse of the Panshet and Khadakvasla dams near Pune and after a couple of explosions in Aurangabad, says that though there were no advance plans during his time, such present plans appear only on paper. To deal with a catastrophe, D'Souza points out that a supreme commander should be designated to direct all relief measures. He should be armed with powers to overrule all ministers, whether of the state, Centre or local bodies and report directly to the chief minister. Apart from activating communication links to all parts of the disaster area, the disinfection of drinking water and immunisation arrangement should be made to prevent the spread of an epidemic.