The Libro Centre was closed to the public for part of last week as part of an international emergency training exercise.
The Town of Amherstburg was one of the participants in an international full-scale exercise from March 14-21. That resulted in the closure of the Libro Centre to the public – with the exception of Team Rehab – from last Monday through Wednesday.
Amherstburg fire chief/Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator (CEMC) Michael Mio said the Cobalt Magnet 25 was a collaborative international response that included almost 4,000 responders from all over North America.
Mio said the exercise was centered around a simulated release from a nuclear facility and brought together representatives from all levels of government on both sides of the border.
“This test of the Ontario Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan as well as the Amherstburg Emergency Plan allowed our town staff to practice the steps necessary to keep our citizens safe,” said Mio.
Town staff opened up the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and staffed it with over 40 personnel including Mayor Michael Prue and Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb. Mio added they hosted many local partners such as Windsor Police, Essex-Windsor EMS, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), City of Windsor Social Services and Emergency Measures Ontario. Mio said those agencies “assist us to manage these types of large-scale emergencies.”
“These types of emergencies could potentially last for days. During the exercise we simulated having our operations centre command staff change out for breaks and sleep cycles. Town staff have been busy over the last year upgrading their skills and ensuring their preparedness for these types of emergencies,” said Mio.
“Everyone came together as one team to help solve the issues they threw at us during the exercise. Town staff responded as if they manage these types of emergencies on a regular basis. Their training and commitment to the Town of Amherstburg is evident.”
Along with the Town of Amherstburg, Mio stated Emergency Operation Centres were also opened up in the City of Windsor, the County of Essex, the Provincial Emergency Response Centre in Toronto, a Federal EOC in Ottawa as well as Science Centres in Ottawa and Guelph to assist Amherstburg with this situation.
“For events like this, the whole country comes together to help,” said Mio.
Part of the Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan calls for the Town of Amherstburg to staff and support an Emergency Workers Centre, he said.
“The Libro Centre has the space needed to safely operate this type of facility. Town staff also worked at the centre registering First Responders, and provincial and federal agencies that would be tasked to assist Amherstburg in the event of an emergency,” he added. “Agencies like Health Canada, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories as well as the Ministry of Transportation were working around town simulating the actions they would take during a real emergency.”
Amherstburg Fire staff was also tasked to provide decontamination for vehicles and personnel at the Libro Centre as well as ensuring they were ready to respond to normal day-to-day emergencies.
The Amherstburg Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire on Malden Hill Road March 14, during the time the exercise was happening. Mio said this prompted calls and social media posts wondering if it was part of the exercise. Mio mentioned that there are contingencies built into the exercise that if the fire department had a real emergency, any staff required for the real emergency would be pulled away from the exercise. This is known as a No-Duff and staff and responders know that it is not a drill.
“Due to the complexity and amount of moving parts in the PNERP, Chief Don Williamson from Leamington Fire is relied upon to command the Emergency Worker Centre,” said Mio. “The plan also calls for neighbouring municipalities to assist the Town of Amherstburg in case evacuation is needed. Under the plan, the Town of Essex opens a registration center and the City of Windsor opens and staffs an evacuation centre that could shelter residents who have nowhere else to go. Staff from Bruce Nuclear and Ontario Power Generation also assisted in the response. EOC centres were also opened all over the province.”
Mio added the exercise also demonstrated the importance of programs like Amherstburg Alerts, and he encouraged people to do so at www.amherstburg.ca/alert.
If a person changed your address or phone number, please register again.
Also, WECHU is still distributing Potassium Iodide Pills (KI Pills). Please visit Town Hall, Libro Centre or the WECHU location in the City of Windsor or visit www.wechu.org/nuclear/potassium-iodide-ki-distribution for more information.
Amherstburg part of international emergency exercise
By RTT Staff
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