Army Engineers Contribute to SPILLEX Rehearsal on Oil Spill Disaster

Brigadier A.N Amarasekara, Commander Engineer Brigade representing the Sri Lanka Army recently took part at the Disaster Management Center - organized ‘SPILLEX’, rehearsal of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCOP) in close liaison with the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA).

SPILLEX is designed to rehearse the preparedness and responds at national level oil spill disasters, an imminent threat at popular maritime hub routes in the world.

The two-day Exercise was conducted at the Disaster Management Centre and coastal areas of Colombo where a number of respective state agencies including Tri Forces, Sri Lanka Police, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Sri Lanka Port Authority, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, Department of Meteorology, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Department, Central Environmental Authority and Fire Service Department contributed while participating in the Exercise.

Brigadier A.N Amarasekara who also holds the appointment of Operation Section Chief in the SPILLEX for formulation of the overall operation plan for the disaster response, together with the Commanding Officer 14 CBRN Regiment SLE and Brigade Major Engineer Brigade actively contributed to the Exercise and respective discussions.

In the rehearsal 14 CBRN Regiment SLE troops practised the response to chemical spills, caused by a ship accident in the general area Wellawatte while troops from 9 Gemunu Watch and 9 (V) Sri Lanka Light Infantry practised beach cleaning activities in the general area Dehiwala.

5 Sri Lanka Signal Corps provided communications to the ground troops while 2 (V) Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps provided first aid assistance. Mysneakers | Nike