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To forestall a fire spark that may result in explosion and by extension mass destruction of lives and properties at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, operators of two fuel depots in the airport, Joint Users Hydrant Installation (JUHI) and Sahara Oil operating aviation carried out a joint fire emergency drill today.
The drill which was to assess the level of preparedness of airport emergency team to fire emergencies at the fuel depots, took place at the common entrance to the facilities located along the link road between domestic and international wings of the Lagos airport. It lasted about 10 minutes without having much effects on human and vehicular movements along the axis of the airport.
The mock exercise which commenced with fire alarms activated at about 10:30 got many people around the facilities running for dear lives when they observed that personnel from the two facilities were running helter-skelter as the fire alarm kept blowing
It was however commendable to note that response level from other agencies in the airport’s emergency response team was spontaneous, efficient and effective as most of them arrived at the scene of the mock exercise within three minutes the alarm was activated.
First among the airport emergency team to arrive at the scene was a team of Fire fighting personnel from Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS) of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) led by Engr. Sarki Jacob.
The team which arrived at the scene at about 10:33am with a very functional and effective fire tender, took active parts in the simulation.
This was followed by the medical and ambulance team from Ports Health Authority, FAAN and Saharaaviation Oil, perhaps, to evacuate likely causalities.
Speaking at the post drill gathering for a review the exercise, the coordinators, Manager of Joint Users Hydrant Installation (JUHI), Engr. Femi Otufadebo and the Depot Manager, Savannah Oil, Engr. Ogungbamigbe Olumilade commended the participants for their cooperation and prompt responses and took note of gaps observed during the exercise.
Otufadebo who noted that a fire spark, if not promptly and properly responded to may lead to fire explosion, causing mass destructions to lives and properties, disclosed that the essence of the drill was to assess the level of the preparedness of the airport emergency team to distress calls.
He commended the response team for the manner the handled the situation when they got the distress calls.
In his statement at the post drill meeting, Engr. Ogungbamigbe Olumilade said the exercise was organised jointly between JUHI and Sahara Oil because of the two aviation fuelers use common platform and access. He commended the personnel of the two facilities for taking active parts in the exercise.
However, some stakeholders who monitored the exercise noted that some gaps such as poor control of vehicular and human movement during such exercise must be closed during subsequent drills.
They suggested that road traffic management agencies within the airport must be carried along to deplore personnel for effective control of vehicular traffic on the road.
Equally they suggested that management of JUHI must ensure that an alternative exit assess at the other end of the facility must be provided without delay.
They insisted that the number of articulated vehicles parked at the entrance to the facility should be reduced, to prevent a situation where reckless motorists would run their vehicles into a stationary tanker loaded with Jet A-1.
