NDMA and FFC hold industrial disaster drill in Rahim Yar Khan

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority and Fauji Fertilizer Company carried out a joint industrial emergency response exercise at the FFC Goth Machhi facility in Rahim Yar Khan on Friday to test how agencies would handle a serious incident at the site, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The drill simulated an industrial emergency and was intended to check emergency procedures, inter-agency coordination and operational readiness, according to APP. Participants included the District Disaster Management Authority, the Health Department, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, Police, SPD/DESTO and the Industries Department.

Neither APP nor Greenpost, which also carried the story, gave details of the exact scenario, the length of the exercise or any evaluation of how the participating agencies performed.

NDMA coordinates disaster preparedness and response across the country, while FFC operates a fertilizer manufacturing plant at Goth Machhi in Rahim Yar Khan. Industrial operations at such sites can involve hazardous materials, and emergency plans are designed to cover fire, chemical release and other failures.

Rescue 1122 is the emergency service responsible for ambulance and rescue operations in Punjab; Civil Defence works on fire and hazardous material incidents; police secure the site and manage traffic. The presence of these agencies in the simulation reflected the range of government and company resources that would be mobilised in a real emergency.

Such drills are used to identify gaps in communication, equipment and command before an actual incident occurs. Officials did not immediately release a statement on the outcome of the exercise or any follow-up actions. No casualties or disruptions were reported because the event was a drill.

The exercise was held as disaster management bodies in Pakistan continue to broaden their focus from natural hazards such as floods and earthquakes to industrial and chemical safety.