Local mining company BHP and the City of Elliot Lake held an Emergency Field Exercise last week. The goal was to foster a shared state of readiness to respond to emergency events.
According to the release, the scenario included a simulated hypothetical dam failure at the Quirke Mine site in Elliot Lake that activated the City’s Emergency Operating Centre and involved coordinated efforts from BHP, the city, and emergency fire, police and medical responders.
Participants worked through a series of simulated challenges, including deployment of emergency services, road and highway closures, evacuations, and more.
The exercise, which took place on Tuesday, concluded with a debriefing session to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
The city holds tabletop exercises yearly based on hazards within the community.
BHP holds desktop exercises regularly and major exercises on a routine basis.
The last major joint field exercise in Elliot Lake was in 2018.
For more information, visit the emergency management section of elliotlake.ca or bhp.com/tailings
