A major emergency management exercise will be held sometime this week in the Lyttelton Tunnel.
A major emergency management exercise will be held sometime this week in the Lyttelton Tunnel.
This exercise is being organised by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and will involve all the organisations with operational response roles in the event of a tunnel emergency.
NZTA Canterbury State Highways Manager Colin Knaggs says he understands it’s the first time a real live emergency response exercise on this scale has been held in the tunnel. The main reasons for this exercise are to enhance the working relationships between organisations with an interest in the tunnel, and to help with the development of the tunnel emergency and response plans.
“Another focus is the roles and responsibilities of key tunnel agencies in a significant emergency and looking at the co-ordination processes and communications between them. Those involved in the exercise will have an opportunity to work through their respective roles and responsibilities in a simulated emergency event affecting the tunnel only”.
Mr Knaggs says it will involve an emergency services response, with the potential for a closure of the tunnel for an undetermined period. To add a sense of realism actors will be used. Operational activities are to include casualty location and treatment. Disruption to tunnel users will be minimal with a brief actual closure of the tunnel for up to a maximum of 10 minutes outside peak traffic times. This event will be a huge help in identifying arrangements that need to be included in the Tunnel Emergency Management Procedures.
For more information please contact:
Bob Nettleton
Regional Communications Advisor
T DDI 03 951 3005
M 021 954 928
F 03 964 2855
E-mail bob.nettleton@nzta.govt.nz
