Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu, Deputy Echo Editor
Bulawayo emergency services yesterday conducted a mock exercise to assess preparedness and coordination ahead of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026, Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo has said.
Zimbabwe is hosting the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 together with Namibia, with the biennial tournament running from January 15 to February 6. In Zimbabwe, matches will be staged at Harare Sports Club, Takashinga Cricket Club and Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The mock exercise focused on fire safety, medical response, crowd control and evacuation procedures to ensure the safety of players, officials and spectators during the tournament.
“The purpose of the mock exercise was to assess our emergency response readiness and coordination ahead of the upcoming ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup,” said Mr Moyo.
“We wanted to test communication systems, evaluate the readiness of fire, ambulance and security teams, and identify any gaps in evacuation procedures and crowd management.”
The drill involved a simulated fire incident in a spectator stand to test fire response capabilities, a mock cardiac arrest in the stands to assess ambulance and medical response, a controlled evacuation of part of the stadium, and a coordination drill testing real-time communication between the command centre, emergency teams and stadium officials.
Mr Moyo said response times by both fire and ambulance teams were within acceptable limits.
“Our teams responded within acceptable time frames, which is encouraging,” he said. “The medical team handled the simulation efficiently and followed the laid-down protocol.”
However, the exercise also exposed areas requiring improvement. While the evacuation process was generally orderly, delays were recorded at two exit gates, and gaps were noted in communication between security marshals and emergency teams.
Mr Moyo said the findings would be used to strengthen safety measures ahead of the event.
“We have recommended improved signage and lighting at all exit points, refresher drills for marshals and volunteers, and ensuring backup communication channels are in place,” he said. “We also intend to conduct another rehearsal with a full crowd closer to the event date to enhance realism.”
He said overall, the mock exercise achieved its objectives.
“The exercise was successful in identifying our strengths as well as areas that need attention,” said Mr Moyo. “With the recommended adjustments implemented, emergency teams will be well-prepared to ensure the safety of all attendees during the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.”
Synonyms for “Nhlangano”
