In Norwegian Arctic, civilian doctors, volunteer 'casualties' rehearse for war

NARVIK, Norway, March 12 - In Narvik harbour in the Norwegian Arctic, the city's chief medical officer watches as dozens of \"casualties\" are unloaded from a train and get triaged before being transported in ambulances to nearby hospitals. Read more at straitstimes.com.

NARVIK, Norway, March 12 - In Narvik harbour in the Norwegian Arctic, the city's chief medical officer watches as dozens of "casualties" are unloaded from a train and get triaged before being transported in ambulances to nearby hospitals.

Thomas Hultstedt is here to observe and learn during an exercise that is part of NATO's biennial drills in the European Arctic, Cold Response, which started on Monday and which this year places more focus on the role of civilians, businesses and public institutions in supporting the military in case of war.

He and other health personnel are rehearsing a scenario in which war has broken out in Finland and U.S. and Norwegian soldiers fighting on front lines, as well as civilians, have to be transported to Norway for medical treatment.

Under the simulation, some 1,200 people are meant to be shipped over the next 10 days to Narvik, though the actual exercise lasts just one day - Thursday - and involves about 100 volunteers, including students, playing the "casualties".

"I have never done this type of exercise before," Hultstedt said minutes before the train arrived at the quay.

"It is good in the sense that you prepare yourself for things that are out of the ordinary. This is very different from normal life. This is a war situation."