|
Avon puts New Dimension equipment through its paces |
|
|
|
Specialist equipment capable of handling major emergencies has been put to the test by Avon FRS Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) technicians during an exercise involving the simulated structural collapse of two houses in Bristol. Scheduled for demolition later this year, the houses provided an ideal environment for the USAR team to train in shoring-up buildings, cutting through brick walls and using search equipment. Avon’s USAR team leader Mark Webb said the main aim of the exercise was to practise propping and shoring walls, breaking a breaching and – using specialist cameras – locating casualties and then rescuing them. He added: “There is a vast amount of equipment available to us, but until now training had involved using individual pieces at any one time. This was the first time we were able to use the complete kit together as a USAR unit in one larger exercise.”
The scenario of stabilising, locating and rescuing was repeated in rooms throughout the houses. This enabled the team to test not only the equipment, but also their team-working skills. Mark said: “As we have only worked in stages before, I was quite surprised at how well we managed to keep it flowing. “It was definitely a good test of teamwork. Everyone involved in the exercise had the bigger picture in mind while carrying out individual jobs and thought about what each member of the team was doing and what they needed in order to carry out the next task.”
Prior to the equipment arriving at Avon, members of the USAR team trained for the role at the Fire Service College in Moretonin- Marsh and in Texas, where they attended ‘Disaster City’.
Avon FRS’s USAR kit includes three prime movers (vehicles which transport the modules) and five modules to cope with major emergencies, and the team can be mobilised to anywhere across the country. With equipment designed to cope with a level four catastrophe (where there are hundreds of casualties and many collapsed buildings) the team is also required to provide training to neighbouring fire and rescue services.
Mark said: “The government has spent a substantial amount of money buying in some very good kit. The training exercise at Bristol has not only served to improve our knowledge of the equipment and its potential, but also given us the confidence to know it will work in search and rescue incidents.” Avon intends to house the USAR equipment at Nailsea Fire Station, which it has recently been granted planning permission to extend.
|
