“This could be because we have the advantage of having many resources available, like assistance from Homeland Security, other federal agencies and from the U.S. military,” Reyes said.
“We are fortunate that there had never been any real emergency situation on Saipan, but we can say that the agencies involved are well prepared,” he added.
During a training last week, participants were given an emergency scenario involving an airline that crash landed at the Saipan international airport.
“It’s a 737 Boeing with approximately 145 passengers on board,” Reyes said. “There had been a number of casualties, and concerned agencies are focused on saving as many lives as possible. Marianas High School gym is being used as an extension hospital as the Commonwealth Health Center’s facilities are not adequate to handle the number of injured persons.”
In this scenario, Reyes said concerned agencies are investigating to find the exact number of victims and to inform the next of kin, and they are coordinating with the U.S. military in securing medical assistance.
“We are utilizing all our resources in our effort to deal with the emergency,” Reyes said.
Stakeholders who joined the training included the Department of Public Safety, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, the Emergency Management Office, the Amerian Red Cross, the federal government and the U.S. military based on Guam.
“This training is conducted every year and this is very important to get the relevant agencies involved to work together in natural and man-made disaster management, and how they can work with each other to save lives and minimize human suffering in any situation,” Reyes said.
The emergency response training was held for the participants of the Joint Task Force-Homeland Defense workshop.
