RESPONSE WITHIN STANDARDS

CAAP’s BPIA conducts

airplane crash SIMEX

CORTES, Bohol, Oct 28 (PIA)—After 2:17 seconds, Panglao Bohol International Airport’s (PBIA) Airport Rescue Fire Fighters (ARFF) arrived at the simulated fire scene in the airplane at emergency landing site, sprayed chemical fire retardants to the burning fuselage and contained the fire scene, as the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was simultaneously put up for the Incident Command System (ICS) to initiate its coordinated response to the emergency.

The response time was well within 3:00 minutes, the international standard for airport fire response, according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Air and Ground Development Services, who was there to oversee the large-scale simulation exercise (SIMEX).

Not really expected to make a perfect SIMEX, CAAP, which has to comply with the recertification requirements, however came up with a passable SIMEX, scoring 7/10 from no less than Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Officer Anthony Damalerio, who with TARSIER 117 were there as critics for the drill.

The SIMEX, which entails an Airbus 321 flight from Manila to Panglao experienced vibrations in its starboard engines, which later turned out to be failure of engine number 2 which exploded, sending debris into the fuselage and causing significant damage to the airplane systems which prompted the pilot in command to contact Panglao Air Traffic Control Center for emergency landing.

Before the stricken airplane could even land, air traffic control declared Emergency Condition 4 (EMCON4) for the Full Emergency of an Airborne Aircraft.

This activated the ARFF and the Airport Manager, which deployed the Rescue and Fire Fighting in strategic locations.

Upon the handicapped airplane’s landing, its pilot lost control and the stricken plane swerved to the waterway canal, collapsing its landing gears, a third of the fuselage burst into fire.

That time when EMCON 1 was sounded, ARFF rushed to the site, while airport operation was suspended for the incident, fire crew supervisor temporarily took command of the incident, which we would eventually turn over to the Incident Commander at the ECO after reporting and assessing the crash scene.

As the ICS took over, calls for assistance from nearby rescue and recovery assets sounded, prompting 13 ambulance units, fire trucks, and other rescue units from LGU Panglao, LGU Dauis and Tagbilaran, Bureau of Fire Protection, responded and reported to the staging area prior to deployment while CAAP security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) with the PNP Aviation Security Unit set up the areas of activity, triage areas, temporary treatment and transportation of the injured victims needing priority treatment.

IN the triage areas, medics tagged the victims according to the severity of their injuries, if only to declog the system when everyone goes to hospitals, including those that need to immediate care.

The response also came with 13 ambulance units taking turns in picking up the 135 victims and survivors.

During the debriefing, responders shared their difficulties, including the circuitous process of checking in at the ICS and immediately rushing to the site, unopened access gates which could have hastened the rescue response, communication issues, the placement of the EOC away from the crash site, the triage areas pitched too far from the site, mismanagement at the triage tagging systems and other minor communication issues from the EOC and its responsible person to the tower.

Over-all however, the test plan showed effective readiness, despite delays which can be lessened in the next drills, which could also be critical in reducing loss of lives.

BPIAirport manager Atty Rafael Tatlonghari, in the end commended the ARFF and all emergency responders and volunteers including those who rendered psychological first aid, the EOC for keeping a good inventory of responding units and all observers who have helped sharpen the drill response in the next large scale SIMEX. (PIAbohol)

RESCUE RESPONSE. Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Unit sent out volunteer firefighters as complements for the few DRRMCs who came to the call for help. The large-scale is part of the airports recertification next year. (PIA Bohol)

DACK OF EQUIPMENT With airplanes capable of carrying about 150 passengers, 13 ambulance units are definitely wanting in the response of about 160 air passengers, the nearly 700 rooms in the city and vicinity RHUs and hospitals show how Bohol lacks these facilities, points out Dr Anthony Damalerio. (PIABohol)