Southend's most senior firefighter will help co-ordinate a "decontamination" operation surrounding a mock terrorist chemical attack on Essex.
The exercise on Wednesday will be part of a training day for the county's fire chiefs to ensure they are ready if terrorism groups target the county.
It will be staged at a yet-to-be-disclosed location in Essex.
Southend station commander Martyn Hodder said: "This will be a mock exercise but it will be excellent practice. We believe Essex fire service is prepared for a chemical assault."
Mr Hodder said each of the three Southend fire engines now carry six capes per unit, which contaminated people pull over their clothes in the event of an attack.
They would then be handed knives to cut away all clothing and ushered into heated showers.
Published Tuesday August 24, 2004
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