Musaffah port holds hazardous materials emergency drill

An exercise for dealing with a hazardous materials leak was carried out yesterday to help increase the readiness of Abu Dhabi public safety personnel should such a situation occur.

The drill, which took place in Musaffah, began at 9am when a mock report was filed with Abu Dhabi Police. It was meant to enhance the skills of those working with emergencies, said Lt Abdullah al Sagheri, who heads the public safety department's planning section.

"These drills play an important role in evaluating the readiness of the different departments in dealing with these kinds of accidents, and it also gives an opportunity for all parties involved in developing their skills," he said.

The mock report notified authorities of a hazardous materials leak at port facilities belonging to Isnad, a division of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Emergency and public safety officials provided an evaluation form to Isnad to evaluate the performance of the department as part of the exercise. Authorities also met with the company to give their remarks on the measures it took to assist the police intervention.

Intervention teams from the technical rescue, quick intervention and ambulance sections were immediately deployed to the site. A specialised car to deal with gas and chemical leaks was used in the operation. The teams were able to control the "leakage" and secure the area in two hours. Two workers were also evacuated as part of the drill.

More than 30 public safety department workers participated in the drill, as well as civil defence workers and Musaffah police.

wissa@thenational.ae