KUCHING: It was a shocking scene at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) after fire broke out on one of its airplane on Wednesday morning (December 6).
The incident, however, was part of a fire disaster drill to test the level of preparedness and efficiency among departments who are involved in managing disasters.
During the drill, fire extinguishment demonstration was done by authorities such as the Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA) alongside Airport Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS) besides monitoring the safety level at the airport runway.
The full scale simulation is done every two years in order to fulfil the requirement of compliance set by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Code named ‘Exercise Buceros Shield’, the drill is to test the role of every agency in handling any type of air disaster at the airport as stipulated in the National Search and Rescue (SAR) manual and KIA Emergency Plan.
It comprises a series of workshop, a table-top exercise and a full-scale enactment of potential air disaster situations.
Participants strengthened their coordination, capabilities and efficiency according to procedures documented in the Aerodrome Emergency Plan (AEP) and also provide better inputs for further improvement.
Some 60 students from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Kota Samarahan campus were involved in the drill as “victims” of the fire disaster drill that lasted an hour from 11 am to 12 pm.
