Belco yesterday hosted a training exercise in emergency responses.

The company is adopting the Incident Command System, a standardised approach to command, control and coordination of emergency response that is widely used in Canada, the United States and Britain.

Chief operating officer Denton Williams said: “ICS is rapidly becoming the predominant emergency management system in organisations and governments around the world.

“While Belco is well known publicly for its systematic and efficient response to large storms and hurricanes, there are many other emergency scenarios that we must be prepared to respond to in an efficient and effective way.

“ICS provides a standardised approach for incidents of any type or size, and ensures the safety of responders, effective use of resources and the avoidance of duplicated efforts.”

Mr Williams added: “The adoption of ICS enables us to implement a more consistent approach to all emergency response scenarios and focus on the priorities, including life safety.”

Belco’s adoption of ICS as an organisational standard will be completed over the next two years. Over the past year, 115 Belco and Ascendant employees have completed ICS training in preparation for its formal adoption as a company standard.

Belco extended training opportunities to representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Bermuda Police Service and the Emergency Measures Organisation.

Yesterday, the half-day “Table Top” exercise was designed to increase preparedness and operational readiness of Belco and its external agency partners to respond to an incident.

Mr Williams said it was an opportunity to build on the participants’ knowledge, test the effectiveness of Belco’s emergency response as a company and “have staff members become more comfortable in responding efficiently and effectively regardless of incident size and/or severity”.