News
Exercise ‘Control Freak’
30 Apr 2013
Tell a member of the national Emergency Animal Disease Rapid Response Team (RRT) they are a ‘control freak’ and they’re more likely to smile than be offended.
This week members of the RRT are gathering at Coffs Harbour in New South Wales where they are taking part in exercise ‘Control Freak’, this year’s name for an annual exercise which is part of the team’s ongoing professional development program.
Kathy Gibson, AHA’s Manager Training Services said the aim of ‘Control Freak’ was to enhance RRT members’ ability to lead, contribute, interact and communicate in an EAD experience. They will do this by working through the roles and responsibilities of all coordination and control centre functions as part of the desk-top exercise, which uses a scenario based on a hypothetical outbreak of foot and mouth disease in NSW and Southern Queensland.
“The RRT is a group of about 50 government response personnel who would fill key management and supervisory positions in control centers in the event of an EAD response,” Dr Gibson said. “AHA manages the RRT in between real responses, including recruitment and professional development activities, such as ‘Control Freak’”.
Dr Gibson said the exercise is also an opportunity to test new draft versions of the AUSVETPLAN control centre management manuals.
The exercise is being held in collaboration between AHA, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.