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| Tube disaster exercise: 'Tower collapses into station' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of emergency services staff and volunteers are taking part in Europe's largest disaster training exercise. | Hundreds of emergency services staff and volunteers are taking part in Europe's largest disaster training exercise. |
| Firefighters, police officers and ambulance staff are facing a scenario based around a tower block collapsing on to Waterloo tube station in London. | Firefighters, police officers and ambulance staff are facing a scenario based around a tower block collapsing on to Waterloo tube station in London. |
| Four separate venues in London as well as a disused power station in Dartford, Kent, are being used for the exercise. | Four separate venues in London as well as a disused power station in Dartford, Kent, are being used for the exercise. |
| A total of 2,000 volunteers will act as the casualties over four days. | A total of 2,000 volunteers will act as the casualties over four days. |
| Disaster victim identification (DVI) teams from all UK police regions are working alongside other forensic specialists during the training exercise, referred to as Exercise Unified Response and co-ordinated by the London Fire Brigade. | Disaster victim identification (DVI) teams from all UK police regions are working alongside other forensic specialists during the training exercise, referred to as Exercise Unified Response and co-ordinated by the London Fire Brigade. |
| In total, more than 250 personnel from these teams are working at the scene and in a specially constructed temporary mortuary during the four-day exercise. | In total, more than 250 personnel from these teams are working at the scene and in a specially constructed temporary mortuary during the four-day exercise. |
| More than 70 "partner agencies" including local councils, utility companies and specialist search and rescue teams are also taking part. | More than 70 "partner agencies" including local councils, utility companies and specialist search and rescue teams are also taking part. |
| As are disaster victim identification teams from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy and Spain. | As are disaster victim identification teams from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy and Spain. |
| Chief Constable Debbie Simpson, National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Disaster Victim Identification, said: "When disaster strikes families need to be confident that the authorities are doing everything they can to identify their loved ones in a dignified and respectful way, whilst supporting any criminal investigation. | Chief Constable Debbie Simpson, National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Disaster Victim Identification, said: "When disaster strikes families need to be confident that the authorities are doing everything they can to identify their loved ones in a dignified and respectful way, whilst supporting any criminal investigation. |
| "It's not often we get to test working practices on such a scale and it's really positive to see so many of our European colleagues involved." |