THE terrorist threat may seem a million miles away from Bexley, but contingency plans still have to be made.

Emergency measures have now been upgraded to include what to do in the case of a chemical or biological attack in the borough.

Bill Wheeler, Bexley Council's emergency planning officer, says although the threat is low, council staff have been given instructions on what to do if a suspect item is found.

A London Resilience Team has been set up by the Minister for London, to review emergency plans for London.

It will be visiting Bexley next week to look at its arrangements.

Bexley's own emergency services liaison panel has also met to discuss the need for joint planning with other boroughs for mass evacuation, mass isolation and mass decontamination.

And all the emergency services joined Bexley Council on November 22 for Exercise Dovetail, a tabletop exercise on how to deal with a crash somewhere in the borough of a plane en route from the City airport to Germany.

But despite all the plans, Mr Wheeler added: "Londoners should stay vigilant but there is no reason why people should not go about their business as normal."

November 30, 2001 16:37