Fire service capable to meet crisis

 THE PNG Fire Service has the technology and skills to rescue trapped victims of road accidents, Lae Fire Services commander Bal Kenna said.

It can do road accident rescue (RAR) to retrieve casualties, Kenna said.

Companies, government agencies, motor vehicle owners and operators and the public can access the service.

Kenna said that apart from attending to fire incidents and rescues, the service also had the ability and capacity to retrieve casualties in mangled vehicles.

 Kenna referred to a scenario along the Wafi-Golpu mine access road involving a driver of a vehicle being trapped for hours and later died.

“The poor driver was still alive but due to lack of ability and capacity, the person could not be retrieved,” Kenna said.

“Sadly, the casualty was packed together with the wreck, covered in canvass and transported by another truck to Lae Fire Service bay.

“Behind closed gates and under heavy police surveillance in front of the transport company executives, fire officers cut open the wreck and retrieved the body,” Kenna said.

He said that apart from attending to fire incidents and rescues, the service also had the ability and capacity to retrieve casualties in mangled vehicles.