• Today: August 24, 2026

FRD conducts integrated emergency response exercise

The Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) successfully conducted an integrated emergency response exercise codenamed ‘Eksesais Permata Hijau’ on the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien (SHOAS) Bridge on Saturday, involving 250 officers and personnel from various agencies.

The exercise covered the road areas of the SHOAS Bridge and the waters of the Brunei River beneath the bridge, aiming to test the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the agencies in responding to emergencies.

It also served to assess overall preparedness, strengthen inter-agency coordination, enhance operational efficiency, and evaluate the effectiveness of joint responses to real-life emergency situations.

One of the main scenarios involved a road traffic accident involving an oil tanker, which subsequently required a Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) response.

The exercise also involved specialised units, including the Diving Unit and the Special Technical Rescue Assistance (SATREA) unit, to manage and respond to emergencies requiring their areas of expertise.

In addition, mass casualty management was incorporated to assess the ability of the agencies to coordinate the treatment, isolation, and evacuation of casualties during an emergency.

To ensure that the operational planning and execution of the exercise were conducted in an organised and effective manner, a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) was held on January 27, 2026, involving relevant agencies as part of the initial preparations. The exercise involved the cooperation of multiple agencies, including the Royal Brunei Police Force, Ministry of Health, Public Works Department, Land Transport Department, Maritime and Port Authority Brunei Darussalam and Brunei Shell Marketing Company Sdn Bhd.

The exercise was conducted smoothly, systematically, and safely, achieving its objectives of assessing the effectiveness of emergency response plans, strengthening inter-agency interoperability, evaluating command and control structures during integrated operations, and identifying capability gaps for future improvement.

The exercise was witnessed by Permanent Secretary (Strategic Management, Policy and Corporate) at the Ministry of Home Affairs Abdul Walid bin Haji Matassan, Acting Director of Fire and Rescue Azmi bin Haji Hafneh, and senior officials from the participating agencies. – James Kon

ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show the integrated emergency response exercise in progress. PHOTO: JAMES KON
PHOTO: JAMES KON
Permanent Secretary (Strategic Management, Policy and Corporate) at the Ministry of Home Affairs Abdul Walid bin Haji Matassan witnesses the Special Technical Rescue Assistance unit in action. PHOTO: JAMES KON

 

SOURCE/AUTHORN : BORNEO BULLETIN/JAMES KON

 

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