Monmouthshire County Council and its partners conducted an emergency planning exercise last Wednesday, November 6 at Caldicot Leisure Centre.

Monmouthshire County Council, in collaboration with Heddlu Gwent Police and a range of voluntary agencies, including the British Red Cross, St. John Ambulance and the RSPCA all participated in the exercise, which aimed to validate and test arrangements for establishing and running the survivor reception centre.

More than 80 volunteers were recruited to play the part of 'survivors' being cared for at the centre. Each volunteer was given a role to challenge the current procedures and allow those working in such a centre the necessary experience.

The council's Emergency Planning team ensures appropriate arrangements and procedures are in place to manage major incidents or emergencies in Monmouthshire, aiming to minimise their impact on the community.

Cllr Ben Callard, Monmouthshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Resources, stated: "Planning and testing our current procedures enable us and our partners to be prepared for any major incident. As a council, along with our partners, we aim to run these simulations every few years."

"We hope we never have to implement these plans, but by practising them, we can ensure we are ready to take action."

He added, "A big thank you to all the volunteers. Without your time and efforts, we couldn't test the multi-agency response. By donating your time, you have made this exercise possible."

The live exercise provided an invaluable training opportunity, bringing colleagues from Monmouthshire County Council - Leisure, Social Care and Health and the Community Hub Teams, together with Gwent Police and the voluntary agencies, all of whom must work together to respond to such incidents.

Fortunately, real incidents are very rare and it is only through simulating these situations that staff from all these agencies can learn to know what to do and appreciate the problems they may face.

The council's Emergency Planning team ensures appropriate arrangements and procedures are in place to manage major incidents or emergencies in Monmouthshire, aiming to minimise their impact on the community.

To learn more about Emergency Planning, please visit www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/services/planning-for-emergencies/.