Ironbridge Gorge disaster training exercise taking place this weekend

Exercise Simul has been two years in the planning and is taking place at the request of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin County Volunteers Emergency Committee. The committee's members wanted to understand how they would link with the emergency services in the event of a disaster across Shropshire.

The exercise will take place between 8am and 5pm on Saturday and involves a range of voluntary organisations carrying out live rescues in several areas of the Ironbridge Gorge using "casualties" provided by 605 Auxiliary Squadron and Shropshire Fire and Rescue.

Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet lead for land stability in the Gorge, said: "The scenario that Exercise Simul will use is based around a collapse in the Ironbridge Gorge resulting in a number of missing people and other live casualties requiring assistance.

"This would result in a major incident being declared and it is highly likely that support would be requested from Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin County Volunteers Emergency Committee.

"It is that element of a response to such a catastrophe that the exercise aims to test. It is important that all aspects of an emergency response are tested in a live environment so we have confidence that everyone required knows what their role is should the worst ever happen."

Public transport in and around the Gorge will run as normal. However, the Museum of the Gorge car park in Ironbridge and the small car park in Church Road, Jackfield, will both be closed from 8am to 5pm.

There will also be more cars than usual on the Station Road car park on the south side of the Iron Bridge and signs across the Gorge to let people know that the exercise is taking place.

Voluntary organisations involved in Saturday's exercise include Severn Area Rescue Association, Raynet, National Search and Rescue Dog Association, Midland Cave Rescue Organisation, British Red Cross and West Mercia Search and Rescue.

Category One first responders involved are Warwickshire & West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, West Midlands Ambulance Service and Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils.

The day will start with briefings for the voluntary organisations at Telford Central Fire Station at Stafford Park.

Participants will then mobilise their equipment to the scene of mock disasters in the Ironbridge Gorge.

Locations in the Ironbridge Gorge that will be used in the exercise include Benthall Edge, Lincoln Hill, the Tar Tunnel and the River Severn itself between Ironbridge Rowing Club and the Half Moon pub.

The exercise will be overseen by a multi agency group and will test organisational plans and practice communication and systems during a live incident.

Communication with media and the public will principally be done on Twitter using the hashtag #exercisesimul.

Simul is Latin for Together.