Ramu NiCo preparing for emergency response challenge

RAMU NiCo Basamuk refinery emergency response team has been undergoing training in preparation for the country’s extractive industry emergency response challenge in October.
The company said in a statement that they won the title in 2017 when the challenge was held at the PNG Maritime College in Madang.
The mine’s team underwent training on a cliff rescue at the Dugur limestone mine two kilometres from the refinery site.
Basamuk refinery emergency response superintendent Venansius Ela Sapak said despite losing some of its members from the 2017 winning team, he was confident the remaining members would do well at the September-October challenge to be held in Port Moresby.
Sapak was the team captain in the 2017 ER challenge which finished ahead of eight teams from other mining and petroleum companies around the country.
Participating team were from Ok Tedi, Barrick Porgera, Simberi, Harmony Gold, Oil Search and Newcrest Lihir.
Lihir also sent an all-female team to the event.
The challenge was previously called the National Mining Emergency Response Challenge and facilitated by the Chief Mines Inspectorate of the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA).
The event is now under the stewardship of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum.
Sapak said that apart from other high risks areas, the bench where the lime stone was mined was dangerous for operators working everyday on the edge of the mountains.
He said the emergency response team needed to be trained and prepared to respond to situations and incidents.
Sapak said his team was ready to defend the title.