Public Services’ students are being put through their paces in preparation for one of the biggest outdoor emergency exercises to take place in Stockton.
The young people from SRC Bede Sixth Form in Billingham have been given a rare insight into the working life of Teesside’s blue light services in the run up to the mock major incident.
Residents across Stockton are being reminded not to panic when the action unfolds at a secret location in the town centre on Tuesday (14th June, 2016).
The activity, titled Exercise Trafalgar, aims to test the response plans of the region’s emergency services and has been months in the planning.
SRC Bede’s Public Services’ Lecturer, Garreth Evans, said: “This has been an amazing opportunity for our students. It has put them in a position where they get to work alongside real service personnel and see what it is like for them in the real world.”
While the full extent of the students’ part in the secret scenario is not yet widely known, the group of 20 Public Services students have met with officers from Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, fire fighters and ambulance service personnel, in preparation for the exercise.
“This is an experience that you wouldn’t normally get,” said Public Services’ student, Lauren Bewick, 17, of Stockton.
“I am currently debating joining the Royal Navy or the police and so this is a really good chance to get a taste of life in the police and what they do on a regular basis.”
Stockton Riverside College students will also play their part on the day, with Construction students having helped build realistic sets at a secret location, Catering students providing food for the services on the scene, Production Arts Makeup students will help support the setup of the scene, Performing Arts students will play the part of casualties, while Film and TV students capture footage.
“This type of experience is invaluable to the students,” said Garreth. “For the Public Services’ students in particular, this is the type of exposure that you just can’t get in the classroom.
“For me these people are role models in our community, to have them come in to talk to and work with our students, offering advice, is experience you just can’t get anywhere else.”
Exercise Trafalgar brings agencies together including the Cleveland Local Resilience Forum, Cleveland Police, Stockton Borough Council, the North East Ambulance Service, Cleveland Fire Brigade, Thirteen Housing Group, Stockton Riverside College and SRC Bede Sixth Form.
Members of the public can follow the action on the day through social media using #ClevelandLRF on the College, police and partner Facebook and Twitter pages and via local media.