The Civil Contingencies Unit has formulated an exercise calendar which runs until 2008 in compliance of the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act (2004).

The Civil Contingencies Act and supporting guidance very clearly state that those staff named in emergency plans must; know their role; be competent to carry out the tasks assigned to them; be properly equipped; and have the confidence that their partners in emergency response are similarly prepared.

Exercising is a step beyond much current planning practice. Generally participants in exercises should have an awareness of their roles and be reasonably comfortable with them before they are subject to the stresses of exercises. Exercising is not to catch people out. It tests procedures not people. If staff are unprepared they may blame the plan, when they should blame their lack of preparation and training. An important aim of an exercise should be to make people feel more comfortable in their roles and build morale.

In terms of exercising the guidance recommends that plan contact numbers should be tested every three months, plan activation process tested at least annually, the councils emergency centre be set up at least annually, and a complete training and exercising programme must be published in each plan which clearly states who is to receive the training, who is to deliver it, what the training will consist of, and when the training will be carried out.