NFRS among agencies dealing with major exercise in Northamptonshire

Public organisations across Northamptonshire came together today to deal with a mock scenario involving a mid-air collision of two aircrafts.

The RAF and other agencies heavily supported this exercise, which ran in real time, and involved more than 300 people handling a simulated emergency in the St James area of Northampton.

Organisations including Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, the police, local authorities and health partners were alerted to the details at around 9.30am.

The purpose of the exercise was to practice, in as near a real environment as possible, the readiness of Northamptonshire’s Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to deal with a complex major incident as it unfolds.

Other organisations such as the Environment Agency, UK Health Security Agency and the military also supported the exercise.

The scenario imagined that a Hawk jet and a Wildcat helicopter collided 250ft above Northampton and debris fell across the area.

Those taking part in the exercise were required to quickly liaise with all relevant agencies, risk assess the situation and decide on a course of action.

This included gauging the level of risk to emergency services staff responding to the situation while ensuring casualties could be reached and treated.

Deputy Chief Constable and LRF Chair, Ashley Tuckley, said: “Having a real-time exercise, with direct consequences from our action or inaction, was incredibly powerful.

“Colleagues from across our organisations demonstrated the benefit of our years of preparation and work together as we dealt with the unfolding situation.

“Of course, we’ll be reflecting very carefully on the decisions we took and whether different actions might have improved outcomes.

“I’m really grateful to everyone who worked so hard in response to today’s exercise, and to everyone in who might have been disrupted for their patience.”

In preparation for today’s event, the RAF arranged for sections from the two aircraft to be moved into position across West Northamptonshire Council’s Westbridge site.

Students from Northampton College were on hand to act as casualties and around 150 front-line emergency services staff were involved in the operation.

Training exercises such as this take place across the UK in a bid to test joint working and preparedness, should a major incident happen.

Wing Commander James Errington of RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, who assisted in the coordination of the exercise along with Northamptonshire Chief Superintendent Jen Helm, said: “The fundamental aim of this exercise was for partner agencies to work together in a challenging environment to better prepare for any future emergencies.

“This has successfully been achieved with partners going away with a greater understanding of each organisation.”