The coast guard keeps an eye on the sea

Coast guard

Table top exercises for saving drowning persons

On 11, 17 and 18 February 3 table top exercises were organized to test the procedure for saving drowning persons under the coordination of the governor of West-Flanders Province. A table top exercise is an exercise in which an emergency situation is 'imitated'. The participants have to put on paper how they would react in real life. This means that no actual emergency services or means are deployed.

Table top exercises drowning persons

This year, the coastal municipalities of Nieuwpoort, Blankenberge and Bredene took part. Every year, other coastal municipalities get a chance to participate in the exercises. The leadership was in the hands of Filip Lingier, deputy to the national health inspector and Pascal Depoorter of the Coast Guard secretariat. Next to the leaders and participants, several observers were also present which means that a great number of partners have cooperated to the exercise under the coordination of the governor of West-Flanders: the Maritime Rescue– and Coordination Centre (MRCC), the Maritime Security Centre Belgium (MIK), the Communication – and Information Centre (CIC),  the emergency services 100/112, the 40SQN Heli, Coast Guard Secretariat, the fire brigade, the police, the health inspector and his deputy, the Medical Urgency Group (MUG), the lifeguards (IKWV) and the National Service for Emergency Planning (FDOH). Every exercise is followed by a debriefing to evaluate the steps that were taken. The exercises have proved very useful to further improve the communication and cooperation between the parties involved.