Multi-agency firearms exercise success

On Sunday evening staff took part in a multi-agency firearms exercise at Chapelfield Shopping Centre in Norwich, during which ballistics teams from the Trust and Norfolk and Suffolk fire and rescue service worked together for the first time.

The exercise involved 400 affected people, with more than 20 needing clinical intervention. 

Resilience Manager Rob said: “We initially deployed a firearms commander and interagency liaison officer to the command post to gather information and agree tactics. Commanders used their Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme (JESIP) training to ensure threat assessments were carried out in real time.

“Once the decision was made to deploy the ambulance and fire and rescue teams wearing full ballistic personal protective equipment to triage, treat and evacuate casualties, the teams worked under significant pressures within the shopping mall."

Senior Specialist Operations Manager Steven Moore also attended and added: “All emergency services worked really well together, which is really pleasing considering it was the first exercise involving both ballistics teams. Exercises such as these are very important to make sure we are prepared and equipped for a real incident.”

Published 2nd April 2015