Emergency response exercise set for Confederation Bridge
The Guardian
BORDEN-CARLETON— The Confederation Bridge will be conducting an emergency response exercise beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The exercise is scheduled to last approximately two hours and while the bridge will remain open to all traffic during this training exercise period, travelers may expect minor delays with stop and go traffic to occur during this exercise, says a news release from the bridge operators.
The exercise will simulate a two-vehicle accident approximately two kilometres from the New Brunswick side of the bridge. Information will be posted on electronic sign boards and travelers can also stay informed by turning to bridge radio 93.9 FM.
The training exercise will involve all first responders in an emergency situation, including Confederation Bridge personnel, 911 services, RCMP, Island EMS, local fire departments, Transport Canada and others.
“Continuous training and simulation exercises are essential to proper emergency preparedness,” says Michel Le Chasseur, general manager of Strait Crossing Bridge Limited.
“We are very fortunate that real life situations are not a staple of our operating life at the bridge and these exercises provide valuable feedback to all parties to ensure we are always ready to respond to the real situation,” said Le Chasseur.
He said bridge officials would like to thank the traveling public for its understanding and patience during the exercise and remind all motorists to drive with care going through the training area on Thursday.
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Ignore my Ignorance from Memramcook, NB writes: Why must we expereince delays? They should be having these exercise away from the bridge. There have been too many unneeded delays on the bridge and being a daily user of the bridge--it was costing me money time and time again with these delays
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Charlie from Prince Edward Island writes: Yea! Let's go back to the goodole days of the car ferries. We hardly ever had to exoerience any delays back then.
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TO: Ignore my Ignorance from PE writes: You claim you are a daily user of the bridge. You claim there are many delays. They have given you lots of notice and if you still feel that you need to travel the bridge between the hours of 10-12 on Thursday, then by all means expect delays. Why in Lord's name would you expect an accident simulation on the bridge to occur in a place other than the bridge? If you are truly that ignorant, I pray for you that you are never in an accident on the bridge. What you can't avoid is a real accident and delays are to be expected. Obviously you have driven on the highways (you claim you travel the bridge everyday) and in one of those days, you must have encountered an accident which inevitably causes delays. Quit posting such rubbish!
This is a really good exercise and should be carried out. I for one am thankful that they are simulating it.
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Gerry from pe writes: Ignorance in Memramcook. SIMULATION, being the operative word, would be the first clue as to why the exercise is not being carried out away from the bridge .
It's comforting to know that these mock emergency response scenarios are practised. Otherwise, there would be a public outcry when reality does strike, absent of any strategical planning.
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Quiet Observer from Charlottetown, PEI writes: It is pretty simple. A simulated accident on the bridge cannot be simulated somewhere else. The responders must adjust to dealing with the situation under real circumstances.
Being a frequent bridge traveller myself, I know it will be a pain in the butt. But, i will just plan my next travelling to not involve that time period.
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Bridge User from Summerside, PEI writes: I do not think that a training excercise on the bridgefor emergency response is a bad thing! Obviously an emergency/accident on the bridge can present a whole new scenario for emergency response. If you regularly use the bridge, is it not comforting to know that emergency response personal are better prepared if something tragic was to happen. It just might be your life they are saving. Being held up for a few minutes while they train seems like a very small price to pay for maybe someday someone life being saved.
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MRA from ri writes: i hope that people DO ignore the above comment. these exercises are necessary to protect life and property. think about it,a bridge exercise being conducted in a potato field? it don't work for me.
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Mr Cranky from Chtown, PE writes: The only emergency I want to be prepared for is being caught behind some loser going 70 km/h in the already pathetic 80 km/h limit. How about 100 km/h, and start ticketing those who insist on holding up 5 km's of traffic, rather than have a full time RCMP officer assigned to ensuring no one on the bridge ever makes good time? Otherwise, the million cameras watching us the entire length of the bridge should suffice to babysit us in the case we need an ambulance. Those of us in the rest of the world pull over to the shoulder when an emergency vehicle is present, and last I saw, the Confed Bridge has one on each side.
While I'm cranky, how about renaming the bridge to something original? This confederation gimmick is really getting stupid.
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Ray Hinchey from Borden-Carleton, PE writes: In the Reader Feedback you ask the question,
Should PEI sell the privately owned Maritime Electric to Quebec-Hydro?
This would be quite a feat as PEI does not own Maritime Electric.
Fortis Inc. holdings is listed as the owner. Fortis owns electrical utilities in 5 Canadian provinces and 3 Caribbean countries.
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MRA from ri writes: ray though the same thing.who thinks up these polls? some are posted for a week,some are stupid. it just shows that there is no proof reading before printing.
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