A large-scale rescue exercise was organised off the coast of Zeebrugge on Tuesday morning to test communication between the various emergency services on land, at sea and in the air.
“The action went well,” noted the province of West Flanders. “All the emergency arrangements have been reviewed and everyone is now ready to start the summer season.”
Two scenarios were simulated. The first involved a kitesurfer who collided with five swimmers and a kayak close to the beach. In the second, further offshore, two jet skis carrying five people were in trouble.
“For the first exercise, it was mainly the lifeguards on the beach who took action,” notes Saskia Vanhove, from the emergency planning department of the province of West Flanders. “Communication between the command post and the lifeguards is particularly important. This type of exercise is very instructive for new members of staff.”
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For the case of the jet skis missing at sea, a helicopter and rescue boat were deployed. “In this type of exercise, it is essential that all the rescue services communicate the number of casualties correctly, in order to get an accurate picture of the situation. It is also necessary to pay attention to people who are not injured, but who may be in shock”, Vanhove stressed.
“We organise an exercise once a year so that all the rescue services are ready when the summer season starts.”
