The annual field exercise on National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCOP), SPILLEX 2107 organized by Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) was held on 14 and 15 December 2017. Engineer Brigade played a key role of the exercise representing the Sri Lanka Army, as a stakeholder of NOSCOP.
Two days progamme was designed to exercise both command and planning components being at the operation room, Disaster Management Centre and practical operational activities carried out along the coastal area from Galle Face to Wellawaththa. While diverting from the actions on oil spill, the MEPA tested the capabilities and response over an incident with Hazard Noxious Substances (HNS) at the sea and coastal where 14 CBRN Regiment SLE responded effectively as a first responder.
Incident Management Team (IMT) members who represented number of agencies were participated the exercise where Brigade Commander Engineer Brigade, Brigadier SJMAR Seneviratne RWP USP psc represented Sri Lanka Army. Further Brigade Commander played the role of Operational Chief of both incidents while coordinating all operational actions of involving agencies such as Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Police, Coastal Guard, Sri Lanka Port Authority and Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation.
Sapper Officers and Other Ranks of 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fd SLE and 14 CBRN Regiment SLE were participated the exercise conducted on HNS hazard on 14 December while demonstrating the actions of only available CBRN responders in Sri Lanka. Shore cleaning actions at an oil spill was exercised on 15 December which was contributed by Officers and Other Ranks of 14 Division and 58 Division and analyzed by 14 CBRN Regiment SLE.
The exercise was monitored by 17 observers who represented number of countries and commented the effort and coordinated actions of involved agencies while appreciating the well-coordinated Army involvement to the exercise. Further, the gaps which were identified as requirement to upgrade technical knowhow and equipment to meet future challenges.
