Derry to join new disaster groupfollowing request from the PSNI

Derry's response planning for major disasters is to be revised following a request from the PSNI.

Derry City and Strabane District Council is currently part of the Western Emergency Preparedness Group with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Mid Ulster District Council for the purposes of preparing for major disasters involving mass casualties, disease outbreaks and even nuclear war.

At a meeting of the council’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Kelpie, advised that the groups for cross-council and cross-agency disaster cooperation in the North were being reduced from five to three. The PSNI wants Derry to join a new Northern EPG with Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey.

Members endorsed a proposal that Derry move into the new response group.