Dr Gardner Murray, Chief Veterinary Officer, Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, informed us that his country is free from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and that a simulation exercise on FMD called “Exercise Noonamah” will take place in Darwin in northern Australia, between 8 and 12 March 2004.
“Exercise Noonamah” is a training exercise designed to develop the skills of approximately 100 participants who will be drawn from the government of the Northern Territory and the newly initiated national emergency animal disease Rapid Response Team (RRT).
Specifically, the aims of “Exercise Noonamah” are to:
- further develop the skills and knowledge of RRT personnel through practice in a simulated, non threatening environment;
- build RRT personnel’s confidence in their designated positions, while enhancing the team environment that has developed within the RRT;
- increase the RRT personnel’s awareness of emergency animal disease and emergency management arrangements in Northern Territory;
- practice Northern Territory’s ability to establish a State Disease Control Headquarters (SDCHQ) and Local Disease Control Centre (LDCHQ), and
- provide Northern Territory personnel exposure to the operations of a SDCHQ and LDCC.
“Exercise Noonamah” will be a desktop exercise and no field operations will occur.
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Animal Health Information Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]