Public Services students from Northampton College were given the opportunity to be involved in one of the county's biggest ever emergency planning scenarios - giving them an incredible insight into how local authorities and emergency services would handle such a situation.
Students were on hand to act as casualties as public organisations across Northamptonshire came together today to deal with a mock scenario involving a mid-air collision of two aircraft.
The RAF and other agencies heavily supported this exercise which ran in real time and involved more than 300 people handling a simulated emergency in the St James are of Northampton.
Organisations including Northamptonshire Police, the fire service, local authorities and health partners were alerted to the details at around 9.30am.
The purpose of the exercise was to practice, in as near a real environment as possible, the readiness of Northamptonshire’s Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to deal with a complex major incident as it unfolds.
The scenario imagined that a Hawk jet and a Wildcat helicopter collided 250ft above Northampton and debris fell across the area.
Those taking part in the exercise were required to quickly liaise with all relevant agencies, risk assess the situation and decide on a course of action.
This included gauging the level of risk to emergency services staff responding to the situation while ensuring casualties could be reached and treated.
Deputy Chief Constable and LRF Chair, Ashley Tuckley, said: “Having a real-time exercise, with direct consequences from our action or inaction, was incredibly powerful.
“Colleagues from across our organisations demonstrated the benefit of our years of preparation and work together as we dealt with the unfolding situation."
Other organisations such as the Environment Agency, UK Health Security Agency and the military also supported the exercise.
Jason Lancaster, principal of Northampton College, said: "Well done to all the students who took their roles so seriously and worked diligently alongside all the experienced professionals in this exercise.
This was a fantastic opportunity to experience a situation that we all hope never becomes a reality in this county."
