ILOILO City – A simulation was conducted at the Iloilo River to ensure preparedness of response teams in case of an oil spill.
Friday’s activity was spearheaded by the Philippine Coast Guard Region 6 (PCG-6), Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Region 6 (PCGA-6) and Coast Guard Station-Iloilo.
The simulation included search and rescue operation and oil spill containment and recovery.
Some private response teams and volunteer groups joined the simulation.
PCG-6 district commander Captain Allan Victor Dela Vega said the exercise aimed to make rescuers more efficient in actual response operations.
Teamwork was also enhanced by the activity, he added.
“It’s a continuous exercise for us to be ready in case a real tragedy happens,” Dela Vega said. “We will continue to regularly conduct this type of simulation exercises to further improve our competency, efficiency and capability for the safety of the public.”
A scenario of two fast crafts colliding near the docking area was staged for the simulation, causing one fast craft to “sink” which “endangered” around 30 passengers.
About four floating assets responded. They carried rescuers from the Coast Guard and other private groups.
Coast Guard Medical Service personnel and students from St. Therese Colleges attended to the “victims” by administering them first aid.
In Western Visayas, there are about 4,000 coast guard auxiliaries, according to PCGA-6 director Commodore Ronald Raymond Sebastian.
But Sebastian lamented that many of these auxiliaries lack response training.
“So it is very important that at least, we were able to conduct this drill together with the agencies so when it comes to water rescue, medical response and other needed efforts, we can tap them. This will improve our ability to save lives,” he added. (With a report from PNA/PN)
