West Quay Shopping Centre Used as Terror Attack Back Drop
Emergency Services have staged a mock terror attack at the West Quay shopping centre in Southampton over the weekend. The multi million pound shopping played backdrop to the training exercise involving a number of emergency service personnel from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue, Hampshire Police and Paramedics from South Central Ambulance service and took place when the centre was closed to the public on Sunday evening. The exercise had been in the planning for a year and specifically focuses on a major firearms incident and was used to test how specially trained fire fighters respond alongside other emergency services at a crowded place, had it been a genuine incident. Masked and hooded men “opened fire” in the packed Shopping centre on Sunday evening. Fire fighters and Hart Paramedics from South Central Ambulance Service dressed in bullet Proof vests wearing Kevlar helmets were presented with the scenario involving 80 ‘casualities. The simulated event has been hailed as a great success and one that could save lives should it every need to be put into action.
