PASSERS-BY could have been forgiven for thinking there were bleeding patients hanging around the Winter Gardens yesterday (Wed).
PASSERS-BY could have been forgiven for thinking there were bleeding patients hanging around the Winter Gardens yesterday (Wed).
As the Weston & Somerset went to press North Somerset Council was due to hold a 'mock' evacuation exercise at the town centre venue.
Exercise Square Leg as it was known, involved the setting-up of a rest centre for 'evacuees'.
The scenario for the exercise was that prolonged and heavy rain had led to flooding in the Congresbury and Wrington areas resulting in the evacuation of about 130 homes.
The operation involved transporting around 200 volunteer evacuees to the rest centre. Students from Weston College and volunteers from the Casualties Union and Bristol City and Bath and North East Somerset Councils were due to play the part of the evacuees.
Other agencies expected to take part in the exercise included the police, British Red Cross who treated 'pretend' patients, North Somerset Primary Care Trust and the Salvation Army.
It was the first 'live' exercise of its kind conducted by North Somerset Council for several years.
The aim was to enable local authority and voluntary agency staff to practise the management and reception of casualties at a rest centre in case there is ever a real mass evacuation.
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