The emergency services in Fermanagh came together at the Lakeland Forum in Enniskillen yesterday (Tuesday) to carry out a tabletop exercise to test their readiness to deal with a major disaster.

The event has been organised in anticipation of the huge volume of spectators who will be visiting the area over the weekend of 16th, 17th and 18th November when Rally Ireland, the first Irish round of the World Rally Championship comes to the Fermanagh, Tyrone and Sligo area. The organisers have said they are expecting in excess of 100,000 spectators with upwards on at least 50 / 60 helicopters following the rally, and this amount of people and traffic present organisers, and local agencies, with a risk of an incident happening.

In order to prepare for the event it was agreed that a number of agencies should come together to plan for any potential incidents.

This multi-agency group is chaired jointly by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the District Council and representatives come from the Police Service, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Fire and Rescue Service, Local Councils, Western Health and Social Services Board, Western Health and Social Care Trust, Housing Executive, Red Cross and Garda.

The scenario that had to be dealt with was one involving a helicopter crash with potential loss of life. The exercise envisages the crash taking place along the Tempo Road out of Enniskillen, involving both casualties and people displaced from their homes in the immediate vicinity.