Island improves disaster response

GUERNSEY has spent £200,000 buying decontamination equipment that could 'clean' hundreds of people in the event of an accident or terrorist attack. The equipment has just arrived and training in its use is about to begin.

Malcolm Parker, the island's emergency planning officer, described the purchase as a 'massive investment'.

The decontamination system - which include large but lightweight yellow 'processing' tents, and showers that deliver a mix of hot water and cleaning agents - will be operated by the Ambulance and Rescue and fire services.

Mr Parker said the larger fire service equipment could process 200 people an hour.

People thought to have been exposed to dangerous chemicals would enter male or female channels where they would undress, pass through a walk-in shower, then put on a fresh set of clothes at the other end.

There is also a facility for decontaminating stretcher cases and emergency-service personnel.

After training in the equipment's use, a joint major incident exercise might be planned for next year, said Mr Parker.

The purchase has come to light following a major incident exercise in the Isle of Wight - called Livex 2004 - that took 18 months to plan and which was attended by six key professionals from Guernsey, including Mr Parker.

As a result, working parties have been set up to focus on beefing up the island's response to an emergency that could result in mass casualties.

Jon Beausire, the deputy chief ambulance officer, who attended Livex as an observer, has issued an appeal for more reserve volunteers to be called upon in the aftermath of an incident such as a terrorist attack, air disaster, or chemical spill affecting dozens of people.

There are currently 35 reservists - but the Ambulance and Rescue Service wants at least double that number.

'We thought we had a really robust system in place but this exercise made it clear to us that we did not have enough.'

In addition Ambulance and Rescue is finalising two new mutual aid agreements - with Jersey and Hampshire.

Some of the issues for discussion after the exercise are how and where doctors should be deployed, whether they should have training to enter the 'hot zone' and how to set up mini decontamination facilities at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Dr David Jeffs, the director of public health, attended along with GPs Dr Brian Parkin and Ian Gee and Health's former head of social work, Chris Elliott.

Dr Jeffs said: 'The fact that we had six people going means that we have that much more insight now of what a major incident might involve and are aware of the issues we need to address.

'If everything were perfect, we would not have gone.

'It has been a learning experience and now we will try to put the new knowledge into effect.'

Mr Parker believed that if there was a major incident tomorrow, the island would be stretched, but would be able to cope.

'It was quite a big decision for an island to invite people from the outside but the whole purpose was to highlight the mistakes and errors,' he said.

One of the issues the exercise raised was the length of time it took for casualties to reach the hospital from the incident area.