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News>Fire test run to prepare for the 'real thing'
| Response to a fire scenario in the north of the Shire was tested during Fire Action Week, with forty five representatives from Corangamite’s emergency services and support agencies joining forces to prepare for fire season.
The Killara Centre in Manifold Street was transformed into the Municipal Emergency Co-ordination Centre, or MECC as it is known. The Centre doubles as a Relief Centre for residents during emergency situations in Corangamite Shire.
Corangamite Shire’s Manager of Public Safety and Amenity, Kevin Kittel, said the test run was designed to introduce some new staff to the operations of such a centre prior to the ‘real thing’. “We played out the scenario of a fire in the north of the Shire, testing communications and response,” he said.
Representatives from the Police, CFA, SES, Red Cross, Department of Primary Industries, Wannon Water, VicRoads, Corangamite Shire, Department of Human Services and Rural Ambulance Victoria took part in the scenario.
“Shire staff and Red Cross volunteers also opened the Relief Centre and registered people attending the Centre, exactly as would happen in a real emergency situation.”
Senior Sargeant Steve Thompson, who is the Municipal Emergency Response Co-ordinator, said it was a good opportunity for other Police members to see a MECC in operation. “It may be one of them who has to take this role one day,” he said.
Mr Kittel said the exercise was beneficial in showing up some minor shortfalls in the centre, such as having maps consistent with those used by CFA at the Incident Control Centre, phone line access, and the need for backup power supply. “These will be sorted out in readiness for the summer.”
“We now have a team of people from various organisations who have had the experience of this exercise to stand them in good stead if a real emergency event requires the operation of a MECC and a Relief Centre.”
Mayor Ruth Gstrein, who was an observer of the exercise said, “It’s really important that Council staff are exposed to exercises such as this in order to better equip them for the real thing.”
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