Emergency Services Put To The Test

Dorset's emergency services are being put to the test over two days, to see how they cope with a number major incidents.

As part of their annual Service Exercise, scenarios are being put on across the county on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 February.

Firefighters, police, the health service and council staff are taking part.

Exercise Commander, Richard Coleman said: "We run our annual Service Exercise in order to test a number of topical issues based upon known risks. Our Local Resilience Forum (LRF) partners, made up from local authorities, police and health for example, also support us and take part and see it as a valuable learning exercise in terms of partnership working.

"We aim to test such factors as major incident co-ordination centre, strategic holding areas and flood rescue co-ordination, which reflects the needs we have, and may see in the future."

If residents see large numbers of vehicles in one place or convoys, they are being told not to be alarmed.