Singapore, Johor environment agencies conduct chemical spill exercise

Dylan Loh, Channel NewsAsia 2 Dec 09;

SINGAPORE : The environment agencies of Singapore and Johor conducted an emergency response to chemical spill exercise at the Tuas Second Link on Wednesday.

For the first time, a sea rescue component was part of the annual joint exercise.

The scenario involved collisions between lorries containing hazardous chemicals resulting in the spilling of acid across the Second Link and into the sea.

Response teams from both sides were activated to clean up the spillage and tend to the injured.

Over 100,000 tonnes of hazardous chemicals are transported between Singapore and Malaysia yearly.

Andrew Tan, chief executive officer, National Environment Agency, Singapore, said: "The key purpose of having such an exercise is to make sure that if there are any incidents that happen, both sides will have personnel who are familiar with one another, who know exactly what to do.

"... (During the exercise), they worked together to evacuate the persons, at the same time, to do the terrain decontamination." - CNA/ms

Chemical drill in Tuas
Straits Times 3 Dec 09;

Men in Light Decon Suits performing wet decontamination yesterday, during the last stage of a chemical release exercise at the Second Link in Tuas.

It is the seventh annual exercise conducted by the National Environment Agency and Johor's Department of Environment.

The drill was to test the operational effectiveness of an emergency response plan to deal with accidents involving the transport of hazardous chemicals at the Second Link.

For the first time, a sea rescue component was also included in the exercise.