I get the idea that we want to be prepared in the event of a real emergency, but spending $10 million just to create a grand fake one? Really?
Later this month the federal government is reportedly planning to enact a scene like straight from a movie set. It will be a tragic accident, people will die (virtually of course), a large scale rescue will take place and we the Canadian taxpayers, will foot the bill without ever getting the opportunity to witness it.
Hmmm...
The scenario is a test called Operation Nanook. It's slated to take place this week in fact, in Nunavut. It's an annual happening that has been occurring since 2007. It involves more than 800 Canadian Forces personnel, emergency responders and civil servants. This year in the plan, a wayward cruise ship will leave its port carrying 200 people. It will hit a chunk of ice and then eventually run aground where the "captain" will order passengers to abandon the ship. More problems will arise, there will be fatalities and severe injuries (all fake hopefully). There will be helicopters and aircrafts. Everything will look realistic but the entire event will actually be simulated. The goal they say, is to test emergency response capabilities. The price tag for this little scene? Ten million smackaroos. Wow. That's some costly training. Why not film it and sell the movie rights to recoup at least some of the expenses
Like I said, I understand the importance of being prepared but this is a pretty big annual expense to incur when the country has so many other financial hurdles to maneuver. We have homeless, we have hungry, we have health care struggles and unemployment. I realize that we're far better off than in many other countries around the world but there are definite issues that need attention. With that said, can we really afford $10 million a year to create false problems? Aren't there smaller scale tragedies we could dramatize?
If a real emergency unfolds we would all like to think there are capable hands about to help us out, but that's where work training and schooling come in. That's where you rely on what you've learned and trust in your skills. In an ideal world we would all like the chance to simulate "what ifs" to see how things would unfold but this is not generally the case.
I see the end goal here but it's a luxury concept if you ask me. Happenings like this should be part of regular training and not a glorified taxpayer expense that may or may not ever be needed in the real world.
