Extensive planning, a co-ordinated approach and the commitment of staff across all divisions of the Department of Home Affairs will again be crucial to achieving a well managed TT Festival.
The race period, which gets under way tomorrow (Saturday, June 2) with the Dainese Superbike TT, represents the busiest time of the year for frontline agencies such as the Isle of Man Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Service and Communications Division.
Officers have to meet a wide range of strategic and operational challenges posed by the influx of visitors and huge increase in traffic on the Island’s roads.
By working in conjunction with other Government agencies, voluntary organisations and private enterprise, the Department of Home Affairs is gearing up to play its part in delivering a safe and successful event.
Particular emphasis will be placed on road safety, with the police adopting a policy of early intervention and strict enforcement in support of the ‘Stay Alert. Stay Alive’ campaign.
Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘A lot of visitors have already arrived, while many thousands more will be pouring into the Island today and over the weekend. This significant increase in numbers makes it an extremely demanding time of year for the Department, but the professionalism and commitment of our staff always shines through.’
He added: ‘The wellbeing of residents and visitors is of paramount importance and an enormous amount of planning goes into the event to make it as safe and enjoyable as possible. We want everybody to have fun, behave responsibly and remember TT 2012 for the quality of the racing and the great atmosphere.’
The Department’s Communications Division will once again play a pivotal role in the TT experience as the TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) system and Emergency Services Joint Control Room (ESJCR) deal with the customary upsurge in demand.
Minister Watterson said: ‘The Island’s integrated communications system is the envy of emergency service providers throughout the world and really comes into its own during the TT Festival. While most countries have separate control rooms to deal with police, fire and ambulance 999 calls, everything is handled under one roof in the Isle of Man’s ESJCR. This can improve the co-ordination of multi-agency emergencies such as traffic collisions, which in turn helps to reduce response times and ultimately save lives.’
He added: ‘Our TETRA system is used by all police officers, fire crews, marshals, ambulances, race controllers, vehicles and helicopters, and the network handles many thousands of calls during the festival. The TT simply wouldn’t run as effectively without it.’
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