Video: Exercise tests response to terrorist car bomb attack
An exercise to test the response of rescue services in case of a terrorist car bomb attack is currently being held at the White Rocks complex in Bahar ic-Caghaq.
The exercise simulates a car bomb attack on the reception area of a hotel, demolishing part of the building and causing many casualties – a fitting scenario for the White Rocks complex given that it is in ruins.
Taking part in the activity are soldiers and rescuers from the AFM, the Civil Protection Department, Mater Dei Hospital. the Malta Red Cross and St John Rescue Corps. Advisers from the Urban Search and Rescue Team of the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service are also involved.
A number of smoke grenades were set off to simulate the explosion of what should have been a delivery van parked just outside the crowded ‘reception area’.
The exercise involves rescue and onsite treatment of the wounded and safe shoring of the building while the area is secured.
The Merseyside Urban Search and Rescue Team are using state-of-the-art search and rescue equipment, and sharing their knowledge on its use and deployment of this equipment.
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Reuben griscti
Oct 18th 2008, 08:19
Secondly,the ignorance of some is shocking:
The whole point of such exercises is to simulate how how various entities involved in emergency
Services would respond to a major disaster (eg car bomb, illegal fireworks, illegal use of heavy machinery causing structural damage to buildings), this learning about their own qualities and defects, as well as learning about roles of other entities,& how to improve inter-agency relations to provide a better service WHEN (not IF) these things happen in YOUR BACKYARD!!
So to all yu stupid peole I'd say:before passing your ignorant comments, try to remember that the intention is to improve a service aimed at protecting and saving YOUR life and that of your loved ones,& that many take UNPAID time off work to do so!! Show some well-deserved gratitude for once!!
Reuben Griscti
Oct 17th 2008, 22:46
The ignorance of some people however is truly amazing. Waste of taxpayers' money.A farce!!!These exercises,planned or unplanned,allow various entities (including the all-so-important NGOs) who could be working together in case of a real major emergency to practice working together in a controlled envioronment, learn from each other, and also learn about their own entity's qualities and flaws. Most western countries hold these exercises on a regular basis. For a number of years, we have had these exercises on a regular basis (NO-this is FAR from being the first!) and they have always been very successful and useful!
Whilst I agree IN THEORY that the entities involved should not be informed of the exercises (having two teams etc etc), you need to appreciate that virtually all of those involved are there on a VOLUNTARY basis. Arrangements need to be made at the workplace, especially for people within NGOs. Doctors need to make arrangements at their clinics/hospital in order to leave: this wouldn't be the case in a real emergency,but in case of mock scenarios,employers and patients tend to be less agreeable!
Reuben Griscti
Oct 17th 2008, 22:03
Would be interesting to know what some of these seemingly-knowledgeable individuals do!
Malta may not be a very high priority to terrorists, but I dont think you need to think as far back as the bomb near Dr.Moran. Slightly older people will remember the bomb that exploded in Paola square. And anyone with a mental age of two will remember the explosion in Naxxar. Might not have been a terrorist attack, but I think the damage was equally bad, and required all the parties involved in today's exercise.
Another team present at today's exercise was the (Malta) Emergency Response Team: this is made up of a small team of emergency doctors who respond to a variety of incidents, from small-scale accidents like significant car accidents to mass casualty scenarios, as well as training scenarios, on a completely voluntary basis. I was part of the team up until recently.
First of all, imagine having the exercise in the middle of big towns (as some seem to suggest) like B'Kara: or Floriana: have you people even CONSIDERED the inconvenience caused??
....
mark borg
Oct 17th 2008, 08:51
I had fun in this simulated terrorist attack. This was a good simulation but time is not infinite because they took a long time to find us. and i cant see today and i cant see tomorrow no matter what is said and done even if its going wrong .
l Galea
Oct 16th 2008, 19:52
@Martin Aquilina
The Malta Amateur Radio League has 20 volunteers with the CPD.
These radio amateurs are able to provide emergency communications both within and outside Malta if the need arises, even if all the communications infrastructure and the electricity supply fails and Malta is cut off from the rest of the world, i.e a total disaster, God forbid.
They also carry out exercises on an international level with other radio amateurs around the world to be prepared.
Radio amateurs had even provided communications way back when the two Albanian ships with some 1,500 illegal immigrants were at St Paul's Bay and in other instances.
This shows that preparedness requires exercises to keep oneself in top notch and that we have persons who regularly exercise, but one must be careful when conducting exercises such as referred to by M.Gauci since there may be very negative repercussions.
Philip Paris
Oct 16th 2008, 19:36
@J Farrugia
Seems like you are the one who is preaching.
M Aquilina
Oct 16th 2008, 18:13
@ J Farrugia
But the local NGO's are all dedicated and well trained in rescue operations. Spending a lot of their free time keeping up to date in 1st Aid, adv. 1st Aid and search and rescue with their respective entities. If something similar happens all NGO's, CPD, AFM, Police Force and health Dept. will have to unite and work as one team for the benefit of the Maltese. Although having personnel from Merseyside will give a lot of 1st hand experience, i don't think that they will be here waiting for something happening in malta. So why don't we involve every entity so that everyone will be trained equally and know what to do as one team and try to avoid same situation of Save on and Naxxar. It's high time to work something and involve more NGOs in emergencies in malta like they do in uk and most of eu countries
J Farrugia
Oct 16th 2008, 17:39
One thing and it will be my last on the subject: The more involved in prima donna styles, the less the effectiveness of the whole exercise. Remember the tragedy of the Save On and the Paola tragedy. We as a nation want to give our immediate help. And when this happens the rescuers will not be able to give their all because of the incompetence of the surrounding crowds. Off course there will be the usual loafers or jackals. But always let those in the know to take care of things when tragedy strikes. And one last thing. It seems that we have not learnt any lessons from Save On, since all the same mistakes where seen in the Naxxar explosion. Everything in this world has a price. Be it of incompetence or of good management.
Martin Aquilina
Oct 16th 2008, 17:24
Why not all NGO's where involved? We have more that 2 NGO helping Civil Protection Department. Why St John Ambulance, Special Rescue Group and the Emergency Fire & Rescue Unit were not involved in this simulation. Do the authorities know already how many people and NGO's they are going to use if something similar happens?
M. Bugeja
Oct 16th 2008, 17:23
I don't see the benefit of running a "live" drill in the midst of civilians on a given day. Normal people will panic if ever, God forbid, there should be an act of violence of the sort. No amount of "live" drills will quite change that. It's the armed forces and emergency services that have to be well drilled more than anyone else, and this exercise is a step in the right direction.
If we really want our armed forces to have a taste of what its like to be in an emergency situation, we can deploy a contingent of the armed forces to Afghanistan. It doesn't get any more real than that.
J Farrugia
Oct 16th 2008, 16:59
Philip Paris, it seems you are not old enough to remember a car bomb at Paola near Dr Moran's villa. The car blew up when the driver turned on the ignition Or the bomb at Insp. G. Pace's home in Santa Venera. So please stop your preaching.
M.Gauci
Oct 16th 2008, 16:22
Hang on people. Fire Drills are supposed to be held unannounced, so should such drills. At least for the people involved (Soldiers, rescue etc...) Now if we dont want someone to get a heart attack in Valletta, then we put signs up that this is a mock exercise.
But the point of my earlier write up was that people involved in the exercise have to pass through traffic, near masses of people etc.. to simulate a true emergency. Otherwise the real effect is completely lost. Then if a true emergency (terrorist attack) happens, everybody will just panic.
Philip Paris
Oct 16th 2008, 16:12
@J Farrugia
1st. Who is Philip Parnis?
2nd. Car bombs are not a typical event in Malta.
J Farrugia
Oct 16th 2008, 15:32
Philip Parnis, do you know what you are saying? First you tell us that Malta is not the venue for terrorist attacks, and then that we need to "have in place a response team for any event that typically happens in this country. Do we need an exercise or not? Some people never learn from other peoples' strife. They have to feel the consequences to believe.
Philip Paris
Oct 16th 2008, 15:11
I think this is a waste of tax payer money!
Malta is not a country that terrorist with car bombs want to go after like England or the U.S.
Malta should have in place "already" a response team for any event that typicaly happens in this country.
J Farrugia
Oct 16th 2008, 14:10
M Gauci is absolutely right. A true exercise should be held in a populated area. Terrorists wont attack bahar ic-caghaq, they will attack London underground during rush hour, Japan's underground with gas cannisters when it is full of people. Will such an exercise cause confusion. YES. Will someone die of a heart attack? MAYBE. But we have to face realities always and in everything we do. He's right, since cars will be in the way of rescuers, people will through curiosity obstruct rescue and capture efforts. Off course there will be chaos but it will be because of the terrorists and not of the forces of law and order. Those negative remarks which are appearing here had better think it twice before spreading hate and sarcasim. These people are doing there duty even if in secluded areas but when the thing is for real, these people will know what to do, and try to help us common mortals in keeping calm. One thing I can say: that if an ambulance arrives i1 minute to late in the scene of an accident, everyone starts to grumble and threathen the drivers. They don't know what traffic and other hazards these drivers face.
R. Bartolo
Oct 16th 2008, 13:34
Haha good one M. Gauci.
"We hurt you... so that the terrorists don't have to."
I like your reasoning
Kevin Borg
Oct 16th 2008, 12:44
Can all authorities concerned, including the media, take note that the lovely picturesque ruins of the White Rocks Holiday Complex lays within the Pembroke boundaries and not Bahar ic-caghaq.
Besides this, the place was in a pity state, let alone now after the exercise. Who is going to clean this place once for all and leaving it idle. Let’s hope this wouldn’t be the first of a serious of inconveniences to the neighbouring area. Can some take care to cordon off this dangerous area and remove squatters that have their ID stating that they are living at the White Rocks Holiday Complex?
Finally shouldn’t there be a five star hotel and luxury apartments in the area as promised years ago, or am I day dreaming?
l Galea
Oct 16th 2008, 12:30
M.Gauci
Who will then be responsible if people get hurt or die?
Karl Abela
Oct 16th 2008, 12:20
@Gauci
I wouldnt call it a complete farce because this excercise, although far from reality, is actually testing the response time, not the actual handling of the situation.
Having said that, I do not recall such a drill ever taking place before, and this excercise is a welcome beginning to such training.
Ernest Causon
Oct 16th 2008, 12:18
@ M Gauci
And what happens if someone in the chaos happens to suffer from a heart or any serious medical condition or perhaps an elderly person, and ends up in the mortuary at Mater Dei. Who will be responsible?
Robert Borg
Oct 16th 2008, 12:09
What a complete farce!!!
M. Bugeja
Oct 16th 2008, 12:03
That's like saying counter terrorists shouldn't train on empty aircraft because there isn't an ample degree of chaos. You don't really see new recruits in the military firing at paper targets for no reason. Familiarity with one should do in a given situation is paramount.
You can't conduct a training exercise such as the one you're mentioning without a likelihood of having someone get hurt in the confusion.
M.Gauci
Oct 16th 2008, 11:41
This is a complete farce. You don't do a mock exercise like that.
All the people involved know the time, the place and it is in the middle of nowhere.
If you really were serious about this you would have two teams involved with no contact between them.
The first team would go to an unidentified place full of people, say Valletta, put off smoking canisters, then the 2nd team is informed of the potential terrorist attack and they respond.
Would this cause some chaos in Valletta ? Of course it would, but if it really happened would there be chaos ? Of course there would ! And in a drill you have to replicate everything (except the dangers), you need cars to be in the way of rescuers. you need people to be in the way and police holding them back. That is a proper mock not this charade.