Ok Tedi tops response challenge

The National Business
Members of the Porgera Joint Venture Emergency Response team inspecting the trophy. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI
The Basamuk team in fire-fighting challenge event. – Photo courtesy of Ramu Nico

OK Tedi Ltd won this year’s PNG Extractive Industries Emergency Response Challenge held in Port Moresby last week.
According to organisers PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, the miner beat 10 other teams from the country’s mining and petroleum industry to claim the major title.
Teams that took part in this year’s event included Ok Ted, Harmony, Newcrest Lihir male team, Oil Search, Porgera Joint Venture, Ramu NiCo Kurumbukari mine, Simberi mine, Ramu NiCo Basamuk and Newcrest Lihir female team, K92 Mine and PNG LNG emergency response teams.
Activities in this year’s challenge comprised road accident rescue, multi-casualty, rope rescue, confined space rescue and endurance.
The other teams who finished first in the seven events of the challenge included:

  • Porgera Joint Venture and Ramu Basamuk (Ramu NiCo) – theory;
  • Ok Tedi Mining Ltd – multi-casualty rescue;
  • Ok Tedi Mining Ltd – confined space rescue;
  • Ramu Basamuk – fire-fighting rescue;
  • Porgera Joint Venture – road accident rescue;
  • Team PNG LNG – rope rescue;
  • Newcrest Lihir (men’s team) – endurance;
  • Harmony Gold – overall challenge best team medic; and,
  • Ok Tedi Mining Ltd – overall challenge best team captain.

According to a statement from Ramu NiCo, team Basamuk clinched first place in the fire-fighting event with a remarkable display of skills which won the admiration of the PNG Fire Service team from Port Moresby, who provided their fire truck and equipment for that event.
This year’s challenge was officially opened last Monday by Papua New Guinea Chamber of Mines and Petroleum executive director Dr Albert Mellam in the presence of the mines chief inspector Lave Michael and competing teams from resource projects around the country.
Mellam said the event was an opportune time for members of the emergency response teams in the country’s extractive industry to compete and also learn and understand the different emergencies which faced the industry and how best to respond to it.
The next challenge will be held in 2021.

PNG LNG team came first in the ropes challenge and third in the theory contest. – Photo courtesy of EMPNG
Team Newcrest Lihir was the only one female team to participate in the challenge. – Photo courtesy of PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum
Team Ramu Nico taking part in the multi-casualty rescue on challenge day in Port Moresby last Tuesday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI