Vivo Energy Botswana has stepped up its emergency preparedness efforts after conducting a large-scale simulation aimed at testing its ability to respond to a major fuel transportation incident.
The exercise, conducted in Gaborone, simulated a road traffic accident involving two fuel tankers on Haile Selassie Road. The scenario included a significant fuel spill and a secondary collision involving a third-party vehicle, requiring emergency teams to respond quickly while protecting lives, property and the environment.
The simulation was carried out in collaboration with Botswana Oil Limited and Puma Energy, with the participation of the Botswana Police Service, Fire Department, Ambulance Services and relevant district authorities.
The exercise tested Vivo Energy Botswana’s emergency response procedures, incident management systems and communication protocols, while assessing how effectively its teams and external emergency agencies could coordinate under pressure.
Vivo Energy Botswana Managing Director Sesupo Wagamang said safety remains the company’s top priority and that regular simulations were critical to ensuring employees and emergency partners were prepared for real-life incidents.
“Safety is our number one priority,” Wagamang said. “Conducting exercises of this nature allows us to rigorously test our emergency response capabilities, strengthen coordination with key stakeholders and ensure that we are fully prepared to respond effectively should a real incident occur.”
He said emergency preparedness required continuous learning, adding that simulations allowed the company to identify weaknesses and improve its response procedures.
The exercise also provided an opportunity to assess communication systems and coordination mechanisms with emergency services, with the aim of ensuring faster and more effective responses to potential incidents.
Wagamang said lessons from the exercise would be used to strengthen Vivo Energy Botswana’s emergency management systems and operational resilience.
“Every exercise presents valuable lessons. We will carefully evaluate today’s observations and incorporate them into our continuous improvement programme,” he said.
The simulation forms part of Vivo Energy Botswana’s ongoing emergency preparedness programme, which is aimed at maintaining high standards of health, safety and environmental protection across its operations.
