Teams from the emergency services and local councils will be put to the test when they take part in a real-time emergency exercise in Newton Aycliffe.
Representatives from Durham Police, Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue and the North East Ambulance Service will be joined by officers from Durham County Council and Darlington Council for the operation at the INOVYN site at School Lane in Aycliffe on Tuesday (March 27).
The exercise is part of a regular programme of mandatory operations designed to test the response of the emergency services and local authorities.
Members of the public may notice emergency vehicles in the area but are being reassured that this will be in response to a fictitious incident and they should not be alarmed.
Insp Sarah Honeyman, of Durham Constabulary, said: “This exercise is part of our regular programme of testing and exercising to ensure that the emergency services and local authority can respond effectively to incidents of this type.
“As well as being good practice, it is also a legal requirement of all chemical sites storing the types of material being used at INOVYN.
“The benefit of this training will be to put into practice a range of procedures to better prepare us for any real events.”
Roger Goodes, Durham County Council’s head of communications and information management, said: “This is a live exercise so it’s important that people are aware that there will be a number of emergency vehicles and personnel operating in the area.”