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London’s emergency services, London Ambulance Service, Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade, recently conducted joint exercises to enhance their coordinated response to major incidents, including a marauding terrorist attack (MTA) and a train crash.
At JobServe Community Stadium in Colchester, firefighters, paramedics and police officers collaborated on a simulated MTA scenario aimed at testing their collective response to high-threat, mass-casualty events.
Firefighters coordinated rescue operations and provided immediate emergency care alongside paramedics, while police secured the area. This exercise allowed crews to implement their training in a realistic setting, closely replicating challenges faced in real-life scenarios.
“Along with other emergency partners, London’s firefighters are always ready to respond to a terrorist attack. People sometimes forget our work is more than just fighting fires. Our crews are trained to coordinate and carry out complex rescue operations and provide immediate emergency care.”
Pat Goulbourne, Assistant Commissioner, London Fire Brigade.
At Cannon Street Station, emergency services conducted a simulated train crash exercise, mirroring the 1991 disaster. Participants observed a minute’s silence in memory of those affected.
These exercises are part of a routine training programme designed to test tactics and ensure multi-agency plans are as effective as possible. Specialist teams, such as the Tactical Response Unit (TRU) and Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART), are equipped and trained to operate in high-threat environments, ensuring optimal patient care regardless of circumstances.
“While we hope these sorts of events never happen, London needs us to be prepared for any eventuality. These exercises give us the opportunity to test our tactics and ensure we can provide the best possible care for Londoners in complex and fast evolving situations.
“Our resilience and specialist assets teams are experts in planning for major incidents, including leading our participation in multi-agency exercises and implementing relevant recommendations from inquiries, for example, the Manchester Arena attack.”
Natasha Wills, Director of Resilience and Specialist Assets, London Ambulance Service.
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