08/11/2016
See the full release from the Press Office of the State Coordinator of Civil Defense of Minas Gerais about the emergency drill to be held in communities of Mariana and Barra Longa
Residents of Mariana and Barra Longa will participate in self-protection exercises in the event of a dam failure
Residents of several communities in the municipalities of Mariana and Barra Longa will participate, on 8 and 9 November 2016, in simulation exercises about procedures to be adopted in the case of disaster.
The action will have the participation of several people from the State System of Civil Protection and Defense, among them participants from other municipalities with similar risk factors to those of Mariana and Barra Longa, in addition to the company Samarco and other companies also operating in the mining industry, all with the objective of sharing knowledge and experiences, in an ongoing process of preparation. In this regard, the activity is yet another phase in the continuous preparation of those responsible for the actions of civil protection and defense in the municipalities and the community itself. The objective is to enhance the resilience of the communities and local and community leadership, lending sequence to the exercises already held in March of this year.
Considering the risk diagnosis of the participating municipalities, training will beheld with focus on the actions in the event of a dam break, since both cities have residents in areas located around mining operations. At the time, the guidelines foreseen in the Emergency Action Plan and in the Contingency Plan will be put in practice, as developed by the mining company and by the municipalities of Mariana and Barra Longa, respectively. These plans are of mandatory preparation, according to current law, and are important instruments in the reduction of risk and human harm in the event of disasters. It is essential for the local community to get involved in order for the plans to be effective.
The drills will be coordinated by an Integrated Command Center, with the participation of various players, according to the Operation Command System methodology, valuing the sharing of knowledge, experience and resources, pursuant to the best national and international practices in disaster management. See the list of the participating entities:
The activities will be held on 08 Nov in Mariana, and 09 Nov in Barra Longa. On both days, the drills will start at 5 pm, with a simulation of the actions of the civil defense and protection system entities and the conduct of the residents of the communities potentially impacted after a possible dam break, at which time the warning system improved upon after the accident on 5 November 2015 will also be tested.
The exercises are the result of a long period of planning and preparation, with the involvement of public entities, private entities and the community, following the assumption of integration of efforts, an integral par of civil defense and protection. The objective is for similar actions to become ever more frequent, mainly with local participation, strengthening the integration between public authorities and civil society for the construction of more resilient cities.
Source: Press Office of the State Coordination of the Civil Defense of Minas Gerais
