Warwickshire News Mine

The pre-planned exercise will simulate the dispersal of a chemical on a bus requiring emergency services to quickly and effectively deliver decontamination for casualties.

The event is completely staged and no chemicals will be dispersed and no individuals will be in any risk. The exercise aims to allow first responder emergency services and partner agencies to practice their response and co-ordination by replicating real conditions as closely as possible.

The exercise is being delivered by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Warwickshire Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and George Eliot Hospital.

Victims will be played by volunteers and New Century Way car park will be closed off to motorists for the whole day on Sunday, October 11 to allow the exercise to run.

There is no information to suggest that Warwickshire is any more likely to suffer such an incident of this kind than any other part of the country. This is purely an exercise and residents in Nuneaton are reassured there is no cause for alarm by this taking place.

Commenting on the exercise, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service Watch Manager, Mark Rattray, said: “This exercise will help ensure that all elements of Warwickshire’s emergency services and partner agencies are at the highest level of preparedness. In bringing together all the relevant agencies this will be an invaluable learning experience in the event of such an accident ever happening in this county."

Warwickshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Bill Holland said: “Warwickshire Police, working together with partner agencies, is committed to protecting people from harm. It is vital that multi-agency exercises such as this are delivered to ensure the best possible protection can be delivered if such an incident did occur.”

Emergency Planning Officer for Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Andrew Daw, said: “The Council works very closely with other agencies to prepare plans for our response to a wide range of emergency scenarios and exercises like this allow us to test those plans in a safe environment.” 
The exercise will run all day in the New Century Way car park on Sunday, October 11.

Link to WCC