Once plans have been produced they need to be tested to ensure that they work. This is achieved through regular exercising and the provision of awareness training and seminars.
The types of exercises and training carried out include:
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table-top exercises for individual services and across services
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major exercises involving external agencies (multi-agency response)
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awareness training to council services and external agencies, including local community forums and the voluntary sector, on a range of emergency planning topics
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participation in the exercises and training events of other agencies.
These methods provide an effective means of both testing and validating our plans, while affording all those with key roles to play in an emergency, a meaningful training opportunity.