The New Straits Times Online, 29 December 2012
CHEMOR: WHAT do people do during a road accident? How will the emergency rescue team and members of the public respond to the situation?
With this in mind, the staff of Lafarge Malaysia organised its first crisis management exercise, involving various government agencies, recently.
A mock acccident was staged along Jalan Kuala Kangsar when a car collided with a truck transporting pulverised fuel ash.
The impact of the "crash" caused the driver and three other passengers in the car to be badly "injured".
Within minutes the police, ambulance and fire rescue personnel were at the scene to help the "victims".
The emergency response drill was a collaborative effort involving the Fire and Rescue Department, the police, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, Department of Environment, Public Works Department, Road Safety Department, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun and the area's residents' association together with the public.
The 45-minute exercise was aimed at testing the crisis management capabilities of Lafarge during a road accident and its efficiency in establishing a good relationship with the agencies.
The purpose of the drill was to allow the rescue teams to practise and improve their emergency response time in a rescue mission.
Also present during the event were Lafarge Malaysia supply chain vice-president, Paul Yap and Lafarge's health and safety vice president Ian Pughsley.
"When it comes to emergency management, we always plan for the worst and hope for the best.
"As the saying goes, it is better to be prepared than to be sorry," said Yap, adding that a review on how the exercise went would be conducted
Fire and Rescue Department personnel saving an accident victim in the trial exercise.
