THIS is the dramatic moment 150 Irish emergency services workers responded to a staged plane crash.
The training drill saw a 60-foot aircraft fuselage placed on Mount Leinster on the Carlow–Wexford border in a crash scenario designed to test the South East Region emergency services in Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny on Wednesday, October 2.
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The staged plane crash is one of the biggest major incident exercises ever held in Ireland.
Fire crews, An Garda Siochana, the Health Service Executive and local authorities were involved in the simulation and they brought it to life with real fire and actors playing the injured, who were carried on stretchers to waiting ambulances.
Ben Woodhouse, Exercise Director and Assistant Chief Fire Officer of Carlow Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This is one of the largest scale major emergency incident exercises in Ireland for some time.
“Fortunately, major emergencies such as these are not frequent but this event has been identified as one that could potentially occur and the South East region’s principal response agencies continue to work together on interagency preparedness and response.
“These exercises provide invaluable opportunities for cohesive and collaborative interagency working, as if a service operates in a silo, solely focused on their own area of responsibility and resources, it can affect the overall response to those in need of assistance.”
Mary Rose Fitzgerald, HSE Emergency Management Officer, said: “The exercise was an opportunity to ensure the inter-operability of emergency plans, following three years of emergency management training, planning and exercise development across the principal response agencies.
“An Garda Síochána is delighted to be involved in the planning and coordination of this vital regional major emergency exercise,” said Superintendent Jarlath Duffy, Chairperson of the Regional MEM Working Group.”
It comes after a man aged in his 40s was killed in a real collision in Co Mayo.
TRAGIC SCENE
The pedestrian was sadly pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which took place shortly on the N60 at Carrowntober Oughter, Manulla, near Balla on Tuesday night.
Gardai, who rushed to the scene shortly before 11pm, have not reported any injuries sustained by the driver of the car.
The road has been closed off and local diversions have been put in place, with road users warned to expect some delays.
The scene is preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.
GARDA APPEAL
Gardai have urged anyone who may have any information on the crash to come forward.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, a Garda spokesperson said: “Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
“They are also seeking any road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were traveling in the area at the time of the incident to provide it to investigating Gardai.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Castlebar Garda Station at 094 903 8200, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”
