Earlier today, a vital training exercise was conducted by Lincolnshire’s emergency services at the University of Lincoln. The purpose was to assess their preparedness for a potential terrorist incident. They simulated an incident where a vehicle was driven into a crowd and later followed by a stabbing attack. More than 200 personnel from the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services participated in the drill along with 60 volunteers who acted as casualties.
Lincolnshire Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Chris Davison highlighted the significance of such exercises for the county, “Terrorist attacks are relatively rare here but it’s imperative for us to be ready. There is a common association of such incidents with larger cities, however, Lincolnshire cannot consider itself exempt from such threats.”
The drill, which took place between 11:00 and 13:00 BST, was part of a regular training programme and was not in response to a specific threat. ACC Davison reassured residents that the university is not under any particular threat, but it was deemed a suitable location for the exercise.
Becca Howseman and Phoebe Mather, urgent care assistants from the East Midlands Ambulance Service, took part in the exercise as victims. Ms Howseman played an instrumental role in creating turbulence and bewilderment to simulate real-life conditions. Similarly, Ms Mather acknowledged the educational aspect of witnessing the emergency response in action, providing crucial training for future roles in genuine emergencies.
This report is an adaptation by The Lincoln Post, based on the original story found on www.bbc.com.
