EX-STORM KLCC 2014

When Izzat asked me whether i would be keen to be involved with a major exercise by the Bomba, I was very excited. I have always ewanted to be part of this exercise, its full of action and simulation in full gear.

Ex-Storm is an exercise mainly organized by Bomba and Skuad Penyelamat Malaysia yearly. This year it was KLCC and everybody will be involved. ED trauma teams from the major hospitals in Lembah Kelang took part in this exercise as an adjunct being medical cover. Datuk Seri Abu was at his best organizing such a thing.

I was asked to offer my expertise in assessing one of the teams. I guess Izzat invited me in my capacity as an experience Simulation instruction. I have heard of this programme but never had the chance to be involved directly! It was indeed a dram come true for me.. haha

 We were all in Masjid Assyakirin KLCC by 10pm. After a lengthy briefing all teams were on standby. It was interesting as there were 6 scenarios on scene and all were equally challenging. Teams were supposed to be well equiped to be able to respond to a disaster if it was to happen.

I was assigned to team who were supposed to respond to a fire on the 83rd floor of KLCC. The other scenarios were collapsed KLCC parking, a bus which turned over and on fire in Jalan Ampang, LRT station under cyanide attack,Exciting isn't it? My job was to monitor the progress of the teams and ensuring that they do the right team. Of course in the mean time, letting them make the mistakes we commonly do during disaster chaos. Chaos is the word, where whatever plannning will go tangential and the dynamics of the scenario will test the teams to respond appropriately.

 Everything started at 12 midnight! And by the time the distress call was received, all teams fled to the scene. On our arrival, the fire brigade, plice and other agencies were already there! It was chaotic and mind you the whole area was closed to accommodate this exercise. I am sure everybody around the area would have thought there was something going on like terrorist attack etc

 The highlight of my day i guess when we had to walk down 40 floors down from floor 82! Hahaha gile penat and it was all hot and humid! Then to have our selfies on the skybridge at 330am in the morning! Don't think many civilians will have the chance to do that.. hahaha 

But the experience was worth it. It is full scale exercise involving all major rescue agencies. I cannot imagine if it was the real thing because from the word go, chaos ruled over logic and seeing the teams in action, it was heart warming to know everybody was cooperative, from being a charity body to the team that would refuse to treat who was none from their scene of accident! hahaha

The stand down was at 4 am and by 5am we were all done. At this time of the night, we were so hungry and dropped by a mamak to get our maggi goreng fix before arriving home at about 6am!

It was tiring but certainly an interesting experience for me. Thank you Izzat and thank you Datuk Abu for giving me the opportunity to help and train the trauma teams!