Emergency response exercise held at Bleak House

The Government of Gibraltar conducted a multi-agency tabletop exercise at Bleak House to simulate a major fire incident at the North Mole Power Station.

The exercise formed part of the Government’s programme of emergency preparedness and was coordinated by the Office of Civil Contingencies. It was designed to test the readiness, coordination and response capabilities of emergency services and critical infrastructure stakeholders.

Participants included representatives from the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service, Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Ambulance Service, Gibraltar Electricity Authority, Ministry of the Environment, Gibraltar Port Authority, Airport Fire and Rescue Service, HM Customs, Border and Coast Guard Agency, Environmental Agency, Department of Education, Technical Services, Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, Gibraltar International Airport and AquaGib.

The scenario tested inter-agency communication, decision-making and operational response protocols, while also identifying areas for improvement in contingency planning and resource mobilisation.

Civil Contingencies Coordinator Ivor Lopez said: “This TTX has provided a valuable opportunity to validate our existing emergency procedures and strengthen collaboration across key sectors.
“The insights gained will feed directly into our continuous improvement process.”

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, Gemma Arias Vasquez, said: “Exercises like these are crucial to ensuring that Gibraltar remains prepared for any eventuality.”

“The safety of our people and the resilience of our essential services depend on robust planning and inter-agency cooperation.”

The Minister for Industrial Relations, Civil Contingencies and Sport said: “Our infrastructure resilience is a top priority.”

“Exercises like this ensure that Gibraltar’s emergency services and supporting teams are always ready to respond quickly and effectively to any incident.”