Member Article

Students play key part in emergency exercise

Emergency services from across Teesside were called into action as Stockton played host to one of the biggest emergency exercises to take place in the town.

The mock-up “crime in action”, took place in Stockton Town Centre and was designed to test the responses of the area’s blue light services.

For Stockton Riverside College and SRC Bede Sixth Form students, who took on a variety of roles during the activity, it offered a rare insight into life in the emergency services.

“It has truly been an inspirational experience for our students,” said Rick Wells, Director of SRC Bede Sixth Form. “Being involved in this type of operation and witnessing events very closely from the inside has given our students a rare insight into the work of the emergency services.”

Police officers, fire crews and ambulance personnel were called to the former Lord Nelson pub on King Street, Stockton, during the “incident” this week, which lasted some five and a half hours.

The scenario, which was planned by the Local Resilience Forum and led by Cleveland Police, was based on a violent dispute which had erupted between two gangs, resulting in a hostage situation.

A group of Public Services students from SRC Bede Sixth Form, Billingham, volunteered to take the part of those held in the pub, while Performing Arts Acting students from Stockton Riverside College were among those playing the wounded, made-up with the help of Production Arts Makeup students.

“It’s not something you get to experience every day,” said Public Services student, Tayab Shakoor, 19, of Stockton. “But I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity. As a Public Services student this kind of event fits in with what we are learning on our course and offers and insight that we wouldn’t otherwise get.”

The derelict Lord Nelson pub, which is earmarked for demolition, had been revamped by a team of around 60 Construction, Joinery, Electrical and Painting and Decorating students from Stockton Riverside College, ready for the exercise.

Catering students also played their part, working alongside Stockton Riverside College’s catering firm, Tees Valley Catering, to provide and serve refreshments for emergency crews on the scene, those directly involved in the “incident”, as well those in the control room back at police headquarters.

Film and TV students from the College were tasked with the job of capturing both the lead up and the event itself on film, while A level Media students from SRC Bede helped report live on the event through social media.

Titled Exercise Trafalgar, the emergency exercise brought together multiple agencies including Cleveland Local Resilience Forum, Cleveland Police, Stockton Borough Council, the North East Ambulance Service, Cleveland Fire Brigade, Thirteen Housing Group, Stockton Riverside College and SRC Bede Sixth Form.

Stockton Riverside college’s Head of Construction, Engineering and Business, Michael Duffey, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for our Construction students to gain real work experience.

“They had to refurbish the interior of the premises to a very tight deadline, working alongside other trades and for a client with high expectations.”

Christine Woolley, Head of Department Creative and Digital Media, said: “Being part of this exercise has been an amazing experience for our students. It has given them the chance to apply their skills in the real world and opened their eyes to the diversity of opportunities that exist in their different industries.”

Kush Kumar, Head of Department Service Industries, said: “This has been a great opportunity for our Catering team. The knowledge and skills they will have gained from this experience will enhance their ability to understand and experience the demands of real working life in the industry.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Marie Turbill .