Emergency Response Center Field Exercise in Dinxperlo
On Wednesday, October 14, between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., the municipality of Aalten will conduct an emergency support center drill at De Kiem in Dinxperlo. The drill is part of a national pilot program that is investigating how emergency support centers can contribute to preparedness for prolonged and large-scale emergencies.
An emergency support center is an existing location that is temporarily designated for this purpose during an emergency. In this case, that location is De Kiem. Residents can go to an emergency support center to get information about what is happening and what they can do, as well as to make emergency calls (112). Depending on the situation, other functions may be added.
During the field exercise, a large-scale, prolonged power outage will be simulated. Telephone and internet services will also be down. In Dinxperlo, participants will practice, among other things, providing information, receiving (emergency) reports and requests for assistance, matching the supply and demand for assistance, and providing emergency power for medically essential equipment.
Learning from Real-World Experience
The exercise is designed to identify what works well in practice and where improvements are needed. It also examines cooperation with emergency services and other partners. Furthermore, the location near the German border offers a unique opportunity to draw on experiences from Germany—where the development of emergency response centers is already further along—and to identify the opportunities and challenges of cross-border cooperation.
The field exercise marks the conclusion of the emergency support center pilot in the municipality of Aalten. The lessons learned from the exercise, together with the results of the other pilots in the Netherlands and national developments, will be used to further develop the emergency support center concept.
An active role for residents
During the drill, there will be a program for residents at De Kiem. They can get more information about emergency assistance centers and how to prepare for emergencies. In addition, residents are welcome to participate in the drill as role-players. They will be given a scenario and will play an active role in the drill. The input of role-players is important for making the drill as realistic as possible and for identifying what works well and what could be improved.