Simulated emergency situation staged

The project was run by the Police Service of Northern Ireland to enable local businesses prepare and respond to emergencies that could occur in a busy city centre.

G District Commander, Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin, said that businesses should not be unnecessarily alarmed but stressed it was crucial they were prepared for all eventualities.

Chief Superintendent Martin said: “The project is aimed at managers and assistant managers in businesses located within crowded urban settings, in both the retail and office based environments and highlights the importance of being prepared and having the necessary contingency plans in place to help safeguard staff, customers and company assets.

“The events consisted of workshops featuring a tabletop, multi-media simulation of an emergency incident. Attendees were faced with a series of questions and dilemmas to resolve, both individually and collectively.

“It provided everyone who attended a unique opportunity to both learn and contribute valuable lessons in working together to minimise risk and protect their business and community.

“The skills learnt at a Project Foyle Focus event are invaluable and easily transferable to other emergency situations e.g. flood, fire, terrorism, gas leak etc.”

An expert panel, comprising of representatives from PSNI, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Derry City Council, were on hand to offer advice and guidance to participants.

Chief Superintendent Martin continued, “This is an initiative for creating preparedness in businesses, it is an essential learning tool for planning and preparation. This will help companies safeguard their business and the staff who work there and the public.

“By advancing resilience, businesses are better placed to recover more quickly, whether as a result of emergencies, disasters or the global economy. The ability to demonstrate that an organisation can continue to meet its contractual obligations despite interruptions is vital to the local economy.”