Program administered for safety accreditation

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) yesterday conducted an emergency simulation exercise at Bacolod-Silay Airport as part of safety accreditation requirements.

Various rescue units from Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, and EB Magalona, along with volunteer groups such as the Amity and Chamber volunteer fire brigades, participated in the exercises.

During the exercise, mock Airbus A320 wreckage was set ablaze, with airport and airline employees portraying the plane’s 100 passengers and five crew members.

In addition, several CAAP-Bacolod personnel played crash investigators by cordoning off the wreckage.

Airport firefighting equipment was rolled out, backed up by the Bureau of Fire Protection. Ambulances and airport medical personnel also raced to the scene, immediately dividing passengers and crew based on the type of injuries they sustained.

CAAP-Bacolod Public Information Officer Ofelia Leonardo called the exercise “very important.”

“We have to be prepared for any eventualities,” she added./DGB, WDJ