UK emergency services engage in ‘Exercise Blackout’
On 21 January, the UK’s Essex & Hertfordshire Air Ambulance Trust organised a major incident training exercise, ‘Exercise Blackout’, at North Weald Airfield, Essex.
On 21 January, the UK’s Essex & Hertfordshire Air Ambulance Trust organised a major incident training exercise, ‘Exercise Blackout’, at North Weald Airfield, Essex.
Part of the airfield was transformed into a major accident scene involving a scenario in which an aircraft crashed onto a motorway, resulting in a multiple pile-up of vehicles and many severe casualties. People were trapped in vehicles, and there were also a number of ‘walking wounded’ played by medical students from universities and local hospitals.
The exercise was run in conjunction with other emergency services and partner agencies (including Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, BJG Recovery Solutions, East of England Ambulance Service, St John Ambulance, Essex Police, North Weald Airfield Fire Operations, BASICS, Ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team and the Highways Agency), and was designed to promote partnerships between these various providers, boosting co-operation and keeping procedures and reflexes sharp in preparation for a major incident that might involve a high number of resources.
A video of the operation can be viewed below: