THE TRAINING THAT MAKES IT WORK
Breathing Apparatus Exercise - Standard Telephones Factory - Paignton.
A late 1970's Breathing Apparatus exercise at the Standard Telephones factory underground storage area, Paignton.
A team of two BA wearers are starting up their sets at the top of the steps leading down to the search area after being checked in by the BACO (Breathing Apparatus Control Officer in Hi Viz jacket).
The other team, Brian Stevens and myself, rigged and waiting to get started.
Note the American style helmets and black leggings being worn in Devon at that time and the spare BA cylinders on the shelf behind.
VIDEO
TOTNES FIRE STATION BREATHING APPARATUS EXERCISE - MARCH 2010
VENUE
THE DISUSED DAIRY CREST (Wincanton) VEHICLE WORKSHOPS.
Babbage Road
Totnes Industrial Estate
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APPLIANCES ATTENDING
Totnes - V31P1 - Pump
Totnes - V31P2 - Pump
Paignton - V18P2 - Pump
Dartmouth - V24P1 - Pump
Torquay - V17P3 - Pump
Totnes - V31C1 - Incident Command Vehicle
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SCENARIO
A small explosion in an industrial size oil heating unit inside the workshop. 9 employees working in the office area and workshops missing, the building smokelogged, the fire believed out.
Main aim of the exercise - Breathing Apparatus procedures and Command/Control
DARTMOOR SEARCH / RESCUE & COMMUNICATIONS EXERCISE
NEWBRIDGE DARTMOOR
OCT 2010
Scenario -
A search & rescue exercise on Dartmoor along the banks of the River Dart starting a Newbridge car park where personnel were issued instructions and their tasks. As the Totnes pump & ICU were attending for the comms side we were deployed to Beltor Corner car park, a further 2 miles onto the top of the moor, overlooking the Dart Valley, to assess radio comms all along the search area. The ICU air structure was utilised as the multi service command & control point for the whole exercise. Radio repeaters were also used on other parts of the moor to help improve comms.
All appliances, officers and specialist vehicles were mobilised by service control from The River Dart Adventure Park to rendevous at Newbridge.
Those taking part included
Fire Personnel/Hasty teams
Fire Service Water Rescue
Fire Service Line Rescue
Police
Dartmoor Rangers
The Totnes crew meet up with the "wild men" of Buckfastleigh Fire Station at the adventure park before the off.
Note - There's only one person talking.
THE OFF
Note - In the left foreground, someone forgot to bring their fire engine.
The two photographs below show off our new and larger air structure
The pictures below are thanks to Helen Hardwicke
Keeping in contact with the crews 2 miles away.
A Gallery of Photographs of the Exercise.
RAILWAY PROCEDURES AND CASUALTY HANDLING EXERCISE
STAVERTON RAILWAY STATION
2011
TRAIN CRASH EXERCISE
Organised by Watch Manager Paul Chambers with many thanks to the Dart Valley Railway
Pumps involved:-
V31P1 - Totnes
V31P2 - Totnes
V22P1 - Buckfastleigh
V24P1 - Dartmouth
V31C1 - Totnes ICU
The scenario was a passenger train and a passenger/goods train have collided at crossover points near Staverton station causing damage to both trains.
Friends and family of firefighters acted as numerous casualties and were tagged as to their injuries, which included everything from serious injuries to walking wounded. Some casuaties having disembarked the train and are collapsed nearby and are wandering across the tracks.
After the safety brief at Totnes Fire Station the pumps were mobilised by control to the railway station and were met by railway personnel who explained the situation to the Incident Commander.
Pumps involved:-
V31P1 - Totnes
V31P2 - Totnes
V22P1 - Buckfastleigh
V24P1 - Dartmouth
V31C1 - Totnes ICU
The scenario was a passenger train and a passenger/goods train have collided at crossover points near Staverton station causing damage to both trains.
Friends and family of firefighters acted as numerous casualties and were tagged as to their injuries, which included everything from serious injuries to walking wounded. Some casuaties having disembarked the train and are collapsed nearby and are wandering across the tracks.
After the safety brief at Totnes Fire Station the pumps were mobilised by control to the railway station and were met by railway personnel who explained the situation to the Incident Commander.
ABOVE PICTURE
One train is in position and the second has just arrived and is pulling alongside the first. Firefighters had to find, assess injuries and extricate the casualties.
ABOVE
The access to the carriages was extremely narrow. The crews worked in hot and confined space throughout the exercise and recovered all the casualties. 30 minutes into the exercise the Incident Commander was informed a fire had broken out in the kitchen area of the buffet car which involved hauling firefighting media along the track and getting it operational. The casualties in the buffet area obviously became a priority.
The access to the carriages was extremely narrow. The crews worked in hot and confined space throughout the exercise and recovered all the casualties. 30 minutes into the exercise the Incident Commander was informed a fire had broken out in the kitchen area of the buffet car which involved hauling firefighting media along the track and getting it operational. The casualties in the buffet area obviously became a priority.
ABOVE
Another photo showing the cramped working area inside the carriages
Another photo showing the cramped working area inside the carriages