Mock evacuations in Sydney's CBD as city tests emergency response with gas blast scenario - ABC News

Hundreds of volunteers have helped authorities test Sydney's preparedness for a terrorist attack or natural disaster during a mock emergency this morning.

Authorities said a gas explosion, a building collapse and a train derailment were being simulated to test agencies' abilities to deal with large numbers of injured people and the need for mass evacuations.

The exercise was "part of the ongoing review process" of emergency management arrangements, and not as a result of recent events such as December's Martin Place siege, police said.

Three-hundred volunteers were tasked with role-playing CBD workers being evacuated from city buildings.

"The CBD exercise will see over 500 SES and police and fire and many other emergency service personnel come together ... to test the EM [emergency management] arrangements in the city," Assistant Commissioner Michael Fuller said ahead of the event.

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