More Security & Emergency Training for Disaster 2010

Hundreds gather in Vancouver to prepare for potential disasters

By Ian Austin, The Province
Published: Friday, November 14, 2008

More than 400 members of security agencies are gathered in Vancouver for three days to prepare disaster scenarios for the 2010 Olympic Games.

Representatives of 70 federal, provincial and municipal groups as well as private companies will explore how effectively they can work together in the event of possible major occurrences.

Const. Bert Paquet of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit said everything from natural disasters to potential threats will be practiced during what he called "tabletop exercises."

"We work on different scenarios," said Paquet. "Each group works from a different room.

"We're trying to make them as realistic as possible. Then we'll see how the groups work together, what works well, what doesn't."

Unlike some scenarios, the public won't see armed officers in the street or motorcades squiring high-profile targets through rush-hour traffic.

"We act these out as if it is a real-life scenario, but no one actually leaves the building," said Paquet.

Bud Mercer, chief of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit, said the exercises will teach the many agencies involved in Olympic security valuable lessons going forward towards the Games.

"The delivery of a safe and secure Games depends on the effective contribution of many organizations and agencies, and, more importantly, on their ability to work together to ensure a co-ordinated response," said Mercer.

"Exercises provide the opportunity for this capability to be achieved, and are important tools in understanding and preparing for real emergencies."