Fanshawe Conservation Area Hosts City of London Marine Interoperability Exercise 

In late 2022, Fanshawe Conservation Area (CA) once again played host for the annual Marine Interoperability Training Exercise. The exercise had participants and observers from London Police Services, London Fire Department, Middlesex London Paramedic Service, HMCS Prevost, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, London Search and Rescue, and the Salvation Army.   

The objectives for the training exercise were to: 

• have the various emergency services showcase the variety of equipment they use in marine-related emergency situations,  
• be placed into interagency teams and, while on the reservoir, obtain practical equipment familiarization, and 
• have all participants partake in a scenario where teams on the water and on land coordinate the search of the reservoir for a lost person (i.e., a mannequin), find them, and then transfer them to the Middlesex London Paramedic Service. 

Weather conditions for the training exercise were ideal for late November, with lots of sun and positive temperatures. The various emergency services present used the CA boat launch to get watercraft on and off the reservoir. This area was also the command center for the scenario and the water activities.  

Members of the Salvation Army were present with their mobile kitchen, much like they could be for real emergencies, to provide coffee, a warm meal, and a warming tent for the first responders. 

Staff from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) were involved with the planning for the training exercise, sharing their knowledge of the reservoir and surrounding area. The UTRCA always enjoys working with its partners in emergency services and, where possible, provides access to its properties for training purposes. The fine-tuning of search and rescue skills, combined with knowledge of the various properties, proves to be useful in the event of real emergency situations. 

The UTRCA looks forward to being part of future Marine Interoperability Training Exercises with members of the local emergency services community. 

Check out photos of the exercise.

Contact: Damian Schofield, Conservation Areas Coordinator