PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (PTVI) achieved a significant milestone as its Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Team secured First Place in the Confined Space Rescue category at the Indonesia Mining Emergency Response Community (IMERC) 2026 competition. The event was held at the Garuda Rescue Nusantara (GRN) Headquarters in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, from August 6 to 9, 2026.
The achievement is especially meaningful as it marks PTVI's first participation in IMERC and the company's first medal at Indonesia's largest mining emergency response competition. The award was received by PTVI team captain, Henky Fernando Puka, during the event's awards ceremony.
Samsuddin, PTVI's Fire & Rescue Supervisor, expressed his pride in the team's accomplishment.
"We are extremely proud and delighted with this result. It reflects the hard work, dedication, and commitment of all team members who prepared thoroughly and gave their best throughout the competition."
PTVI Chief Executive Officer Bernardus Irmanto also congratulated the team, highlighting the achievement as a reflection of the company's strong safety culture and emergency preparedness capabilities.
"I would like to congratulate every member of the FES Team on this outstanding achievement. This success is the result of the team's dedication, perseverance, and collective effort," said Irmanto.
According to Irmanto, the victory also underscores the importance of investing in people development, particularly in safety and emergency response competencies.
"We believe that safety must be present in every aspect of our operations. It is a fundamental pillar of PTVI's occupational health and safety system. We hope this achievement will continue to inspire the team to strengthen its capabilities and pursue even higher standards of excellence."
Success Built on Speed, Precision, and a Systematic Approach
IMERC 2026 brought together 24 Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) from leading national and international mining companies. Participants were tested across a range of rescue disciplines, including structural firefighting, road crash rescue, confined space rescue, underwater rescue, vertical rescue, individual skills, and firefighter combat challenges.
In the Confined Space Rescue category, teams were required to respond to a complex rescue scenario involving a victim trapped in a confined space, with only 30 minutes to complete the operation. Evaluation criteria included incident command, safety management, technical rescue skills, casualty care, and teamwork.
According to Samsuddin, the FES team's success was driven by its ability to execute every stage of the rescue process with speed, accuracy, and discipline.
"From assessing the incident scene and developing a rescue plan, to selecting the evacuation method and providing medical treatment, every step was critical. The entire process, from team arrival through patient handover at the medical facility, was carried out quickly, accurately, and systematically."
The achievement was supported by months of intensive preparation before the competition. Training focused on physical fitness, mental preparedness, technical rescue skills, operational strategy, and command-and-control capabilities to ensure the team could adapt effectively to dynamic and evolving scenarios.
"The team underwent rigorous training covering physical conditioning, mental resilience, technical proficiency, strategic planning, and command and control. This preparation was essential to ensure personnel could anticipate and respond to changing conditions during the competition."
Samsuddin added that teamwork, communication, and discipline were the foundation of the team's performance and success.
A Motivation to Continue Raising the Standard
For the FES Team, this victory is not the culmination of its journey, but rather a motivation to continue developing its capabilities as a critical line of defense in emergency situations.
"This achievement motivates us to keep improving and strengthening our capabilities in our role as the last line of defense across PTVI's operations and within the communities we serve, as part of the company's commitment to social responsibility," Samsuddin said.
The recognition further reinforces PTVI's commitment to fostering a world-class safety culture. In 2025, the company recorded zero workplace fatalities and zero recorded lost-time injuries, demonstrating its consistent focus on risk management and the health and safety of employees across all operational areas.
More than a trophy, the FES Team's victory at IMERC 2026 serves as tangible proof that strong competencies, discipline, and collaboration can deliver high-standard emergency preparedness and response capabilities, fully aligned with PTVI's unwavering commitment to making safety a non-negotiable priority.
