Mock emergency test for youth programme

The young people involved in the mock emergency programme have learned valuable life-saving skills and will put them to the test this weekend. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A mock emergency involving injured victims on land and sea will involve about 75 people on Whangarei Harbour this weekend.

Police, firefighters, Ruakaka Surf Lifesaving, St John Ambulance, NZ Red Cross, Whangarei Coastguard, helicopters and the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group will all participate in the "incident" on Saturday.

The exercise is the culmination of a four-week training programme for 15 young people.

The students, nominated from within the Bream Bay and surrounding communities, have been building hands-on emergency services skills through the national Youth in Emergency Services (YES) programme.

The programme is designed to strengthen the connection between young people and their communities and is funded by the Ministries of Youth Development and Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

Shona Morgan, of Northland's YES, said the exercise will be the highlight of the programme and participants will be confronted with victims in the water and missing and injured people on land, as well as a fire.

"Members of the public should be aware that there will be helicopters in the air, boats on the water and smoke, all of which may be visible from on and around the harbour," Ms Morgan said. "There are also likely to be ambulances and fire appliances at the Onerahi boat ramp," Ms Morgan said.

Students will graduate the following week, in a formal ceremony to which their parents have also been invited.

They will be offered the opportunity to volunteer for two months with the emergency service of their choice.