29 October 2008
Bethal Community Emergency Exercise - Operation Masibambane
The Govan Mbeki Community Awareness & Emergency Response Team (CAER) hosted a simulated emergency exercise in Bethal on 29 October 08.
The purpose of the exercise was to test the effectiveness and response of the various emergency services and the liaison between all the affected parties and the community. This also demonstrated readiness for handling 2010 Soccer related emergencies in the Govan Mbeki area.
The objective of the CAER initiative is to ensure that the key role players: Govan Mbeki Municipality, Sasol, Transnet and the community are prepared to take the correct action should hazardous chemicals emergency incidents occur in the Govan Mbeki Municipal area.
One of the tools used to ensure that this philosophy becomes a reality is to simulate a hazardous chemical emergency exercise as a hands-on training session. The exercise was performed under controlled conditions in conjunction with the emergency management service teams that would normally respond to hazardous material incidents.
Mr. Hannes Du Toit, Convener of the CAER committee said, “Our vision is to facilitate proactive emergency management to the benefit of the Govan Mbeki Municipal area to ensure that the community and the relevant emergency and support service providers are prepared and informed on how to react should a major emergency situation occur. We plan to host similar emergency exercises every three years”.
Mr. Lucas Mahlangu, Govan Mbeki Municipal Communication specialist said, “Several emergency and support service providers such as the Govan Mbeki Traffic Department, the South African Police Services & Emergency Medical Services participated in the simulated emergency exercise”. Due to the extent of the exercise, a small section of Holland Street between Bethal and Hendrina was closed for traffic from 04:00 until 17:00
CAER assures the community that there was no environmental impact or damage caused, as a result of the exercise.