This Thursday, November 28, the Aveyron prefecture is organizing a civil security exercise at the large Couesques dam. By simulating the rupture of the dam, the authorities want to test the warning systems and prepare the inhabitants of neighboring communities for a possible major risk. During the exercise, 25 municipalities in Aveyron, as well as neighboring villages in the departments of Lot and Cantal, will be affected by FR-ALERT. Here's what you need to know.
It's just an exercise, but it risks slightly disrupting the daily lives of Aveyron residents. This Thursday, November 28, the Aveyron prefecture is organizing a civil security exercise to test the management of risks linked to hydraulic structures. Indeed, with the large Couesques dam, located between Campouriez and Saint-Hippolyte, the department houses a necessary infrastructure for energy supply but also a potential danger in the event of a major incident. The civil security exercise organized by the prefecture therefore aims to anticipate these situations, directly involving 25 Aveyron municipalities. as well as neighboring villages in the departments of Lot and Cantal.
The planned scenario is that of a rupture of the dam caused by an exceptional flood. While such an event remains highly unlikely, it could have catastrophic consequences. The municipalities located downstream of the dam, such as Decazeville, Entraygues-sur-Truyère and Flagnac, will be at the center of this simulation, thus testing the responsiveness of state services and alert systems.
Warning devices tested during the safety exercise
Throughout the exercise, several warning devices will be tested. Firstly, residents of the municipalities concerned will receive a notification or an SMS via the FR-ALERT system, which targets all people present in a danger zone. This includes the 25 communes of Aveyron as well as the neighboring territories in Lot and Cantal. In addition, in eight Aveyron municipalities, the sirens of the Population Alert and Information System (SAIP) will sound. This signal consists of three characteristic sound cycles, followed by a final alert indicating the end of the exercise. Finally, thethe fog horns of the dam will resonate. Specific to the dam site, two local sirens located in La Rivière and Couesques Basses (Saint-Hippolyte) will simulate immediate alert in the event of an imminent rupture.
This exercise is also an opportunity to raise awareness among the inhabitants of Aveyron of the right reflexes in the event of a real alert. However, it is important to emphasize that this event will not require any action on their part. The official instructions are clear:
- Do not call emergency numbers so as not to saturate the lines.
- Avoid the spread of rumors or false information on social networks.
In a real situation, sheltering and monitoring official information channels (such as prefecture accounts on social networks) would be essential. For more information, Aveyron residents can contact the prefecture on 05 65 75 71 36 or consult its publications online via Prefet12.
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