Shell employees keep heads during fire

Four Shell Marianas Susupe station employees were commended for doing the right thing during a fire incident that happened at the site early this month.

Given citations for exemplary performance of their duties were Jarvin Mendiola, Robert Mendiola, Justina Yul and Khristine Dela Paz.

The four were manning their shift early in the evening of Nov. 1, 2005 when a fire, apparently caused by a downpour and heavy wind, broke out by the ice cooler behind the station’s store.

Jeff Boyer, Shell Marianas retail manager, citing reports he received about the incident, lauded the employees for working as a team to put out the fire. He noted that the four recently underwent training on fire safety and simulated drills.

The training, which is conducted by Delta Management by its president and Shell station operator Jim Arenovski, is required of all Shell employees.

“It starts with the interview and in the new hire orientation; safety begins the first day,” said Shirley Mendiola, operations manager for Delta Management Saipan. “We try to hire the best Saipan has to offer and these four are great examples of those who have taken full advantage of the training Delta has offered.”

“The training obviously paid off. They acted with clockwork precision like the way they were taught to do so,” said Boyer.

Arenovski said similar drills are planned in the future to complement the quarterly fire safety classes. “Practice makes perfect,” he said.

Jarvin Mendiola said he was on his way out that afternoon to end shift when he smelled something burning.

“I went back and asked Robert [Mendiola] to check it. He went to the south side of the station and saw fire by the ice cooler,” said Jarvin Mendiola.

Robert Mendiola said he ran back and activated the station’s emergency shut off switch, took a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the flame. Jarvin Mendiola called 911.

Jarvin Mendiola, too, went to get a fire extinguisher to help Robert Mendiola because “the fire just kept coming back,” they said.
“
Everytime I tried to put it out, it comes back. It goes off and starts again,” said Robert Mendiola. He said his extinguisher eventually ran out.

As the two were battling the fire, Yul and Dela Paz were at the roadside cautioning motorists that the station was on fire.

Firemen came soon after and commended the gas station’s staff.

It was later determined that the fire was caused by power fluctuations that happened when the strong wind blew the rain into the machine’s electrical parts. The ice machine has now been replaced.

“The team did just what they were taught to do in case of fire: Hit the emergency shut off switch, call 911, evacuate the property and try to extinguish the fire if it is safe to do so,” said Arenovski.

Arenovski said that as a matter of fire prevention:

* Motorists and attendants are not allowed to smoke within the station’s area.

* Motor engines should be shut off while fueling.

* Only approved fuel containers are allowed for fill-ups.

* Fuel containers should not be filled while on a truck or pick-up bed.

* Cell phones should be shut off in the pump areas.

For more information on safety at Shell Gas Station, call Shell Marianas at 323-5009. (PR)