9:10am Sunday 29th August 2010
By Gazette reporter
GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S deputy fire chief will be involved in a major natural disaster planning exercise.
Jon Hall, deputy chief fire officer for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue, will play a leading role in Operation Orion, which will involve a simulated earthquake in the UK.
The exercise will include scenarios including collapsed tunnels and buildings with large numbers of people trapped. The exercise will last for 48 hours over September 7 and 8 with exclusive on-scene TV coverage on BBC News 24.
Mr Hall said: "Gloucestershire is a key part of the Government’s resilience network, providing vital communications, command and control and mass decontamination, which can all be mobilised anywhere in the UK at a moment’s notice.
"It is extremely helpful to get the chance to practice these skills in an exercise of this scale."
For Jon’s part in the operation, he will travel to Merseyside to co-ordinate and monitor the Urban Search and Rescue teams as they take part in the exercise. He will be joined by an Enhanced Control Support team from Gloucestershire who will organise logistics and communications over the two days.
While en route to Merseyside, Jon will be giving interviews to inform people of the aims and objectives of the operation, and reassuring the public that the Fire and Rescue Service and its partners are fully capable of dealing with greater challenges, such as earthquakes.
Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Gloucestershire County Council cabinet member for community safety, said: "Planning for emergencies is vital so that we know we could cope in the unlikely event that something was to happen for real.
"Jon plays a leading role in this area nationally and I think it is great news for Gloucestershire that we have someone with his experience as our deputy chief fire officer."
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