PRESS RELEASE – THE Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) through the Port Police Department in collaboration with local emergency response agencies held a Seaport Simulated Emergency exercise earlier this week.
The exercise took the form of a simulated explosion on board a cruise vessel, which resulted in seven wounded and three casualties. In addition to the Port Police, the other first responders to the scene were the St. Lucia Fire Service, the RSLPF and Emergency Medical Practitioners as well as the National Emergency Management Organization.
The main objective of the exercise was to ensure the port is compliant with the requirements and objectives of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as outlined in the International Ship and Seaport Facility Security Code.
Other objectives of the exercise were to test the preparedness of the various agencies to respond to any emergency that threatens the life and or safety of all port users, passengers and its environs. In addition, the simulation assessed the responsiveness of the port and first responder equipment while providing much-needed opportunities to practise their response procedures and protocols.
On conclusion, overall responses were evaluated in an official debriefing, including the agencies and stakeholders involved.