London,
25
March
2013
|
23:00
Europe/London
Live emergency plan exercise scheduled for Tuesday 26 March
RESIDENTS in Hackney might need to do a double take on Tuesday 26 March as a live emergency exercise is staged on the Woodberry Down Estate, N4.
The fictitious scenario of a fire in a block of flats in Nicholl House will run between 11am and 1pm to test the emergency plans of Hackney Council, London Fire Brigade, Hackney Police, Ambulance and Homerton Hospital.
Each organisation has a plan to deal with an emergency in the borough and the exercise will help to make sure those plans work together. It will provide the chance to test equipment, procedures and the setting up of a rest centre as people are evacuated from their homes and taken to the rest centre. It is not unusual for London borough’s to carry out an exercise like this as it allows the organisations an opportunity to make any adjustments to their plans and procedures.
Around 40 volunteers and police cadets will be taking part and a significant number of emergency services personnel will also be participating throughout this exercise. Theatrical make-up will be used by the volunteers playing victims in the scenario and many of these will be taken to a nearby rest centre on the estate. Local people are being advised of the exercise.
The live emergency exercise should not involve any disruption apart from the in and around the live exercise area for safety reasons. The remainder of the estate will be open to the public throughout.
Councillor Sophie Linden, Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member Crime, Sustainability and Customer Service explained: “We always hope we never need to use our emergency procedures but it’s important that we plan for the worst whilst hoping for the best. Exercises like this one help the Council and the emergency services so that they can respond safely and effectively to an emergency if we need to.”
Ends
The fictitious scenario of a fire in a block of flats in Nicholl House will run between 11am and 1pm to test the emergency plans of Hackney Council, London Fire Brigade, Hackney Police, Ambulance and Homerton Hospital.
Each organisation has a plan to deal with an emergency in the borough and the exercise will help to make sure those plans work together. It will provide the chance to test equipment, procedures and the setting up of a rest centre as people are evacuated from their homes and taken to the rest centre. It is not unusual for London borough’s to carry out an exercise like this as it allows the organisations an opportunity to make any adjustments to their plans and procedures.
Around 40 volunteers and police cadets will be taking part and a significant number of emergency services personnel will also be participating throughout this exercise. Theatrical make-up will be used by the volunteers playing victims in the scenario and many of these will be taken to a nearby rest centre on the estate. Local people are being advised of the exercise.
The live emergency exercise should not involve any disruption apart from the in and around the live exercise area for safety reasons. The remainder of the estate will be open to the public throughout.
Councillor Sophie Linden, Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member Crime, Sustainability and Customer Service explained: “We always hope we never need to use our emergency procedures but it’s important that we plan for the worst whilst hoping for the best. Exercises like this one help the Council and the emergency services so that they can respond safely and effectively to an emergency if we need to.”
Ends