Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have asked residents to remain calm if they notice them taking part in a training exercise next week.

The pre-planned event - Operation Frostbite - will take place at Hemel Hempstead's Snow Centre during the afternoon and evening of Monday, April 29, and will feature firefighters, police officers and paramedics.

During Operation Frostbite responders will carry out a simulated rescue operation within the Snow Centre’s unique environment and conditions.

The exercise aims to test the plans of all emergency services and their partners in responding to incidents together under extreme weather conditions.

In total, 300 people will be taking part in the event, and an additional 200 emergency service colleagues will be attending the training and workshops available on the day.

Fire and police cadets and other partner organisations such as Mid-Shires Search and Rescue will be in attendance.

Graham Grover, watch commander at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We regularly take part in training exercises, sometimes with our emergency service colleagues, to test our plans for handling a particular kind of incident and ensure that our teams have the skills and experience to respond to these events.

“This exercise will provide an opportunity for us to work together in a training scenario where several people have been injured in a car accident during a snowstorm at night, in conditions as cold as minus six degrees. 

“We’re grateful to The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead for their support in organising this important event and want to reassure people that they should not be alarmed if they see an increase in the number of emergency services in the area.”

Luke Roberts-Andreou, sector clinical lead for East of England Ambulance Service, added: “Collaborative training opportunities such as Frostbite are crucial to enabling our emergency services and partner agencies to work together to save lives at chaotic and dangerous incidents.

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“We are tremendously grateful to the Snow Centre team for their collaboration and support, as well as all of the hard-working staff and teams that make events like these possible.”

Lastly, Hertfordshire Constabulary's Chief Constable Charlie Hall commented: "We are giving the public advance notice that they may spot a large police presence around the Snow Centre during the evening.

"Please do not be alarmed though - it is a planned exercise and if there is an incident, we will make you aware via our social media channels."