Fire drills to check skills

By Nicole Williams
THERE were no sirens, flashing lights or fire-engines, but local police put their skills to the test last week with a simulated bushfire scenario in Cardinia.
A Municipal Emergency Co-ordination Centre (MECC) was set up in Dandenong police station for Casey and Cardinia police to practise responding to an incident like a bushfire or heatwave.
“It will enable us to evaluate and assess the ability of police to respond to and manage an emergency situation,” Superintendent Shane Patten said
He said the emergency management exercise also provided practice in setting up an MECC and a chance to assess how police interact with other agencies in that environment.
“We want to ensure we are in the best possible position to ensure we respond effectively,” assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius said.
Victoria Police co-ordinated with the CFA, local councils and Department of Sustainability during the exercise.
The emergency management exercise is an outcome from the Black Saturday Royal Commission and will be conducted annually.
In readiness for the coming bushfire season, police also took the opportunity to remind residents to be prepared.
“We are preparing local police for the fire season and I urge the community to do the same and make a fire plan,” Superintendent Patten said.
Mr Cornelius said people should think about what they could do when they hear about the issue of an extreme weather day.
“If they have the opportunity to be somewhere else on extreme weather days, do it,” he said.