In event of emergency

Navy personnel participating in Operation Neptune are dwarfed by the Anzac class frigate HMAS Arunta. The exercise tested inter-agency cooperation during emergencies. Photo: ABPH Karen Bailey

Personnel at HMAS Stirling have readied themselves for future emergencies with the conduct of a radiation hazard exercise.

Operation Neptune, a joint emergency management exercise between Federal and State agencies with the aim of improving inter-agency cooperation in times of emergency, took place earlier this month.

The agencies included the Navy, WA Police, the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of WA, WA State Health Department, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and Emergency Management Australia.

The Operation Neptune exercise scenario was for the emergency evacuation of an area in the immediate vicinity of a nuclear-powered submarine that was suspected of having suffered a radiation hazard accident.

The exercise was considered a success, with lessons learnt on inter-agency cooperation to be applied to future exercises.

More than 100 USN and Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines have visited Fleet Base West since 1975 without incident.

Exercises such as Operation Neptune are conducted on a regular basis to build on inter-agency relationships to give a timely response to all manner of emergencies including natural disasters.

.