Avon Fire & Rescue Service carried out a dramatic training exercise in the Snow Hill area of Bath earlier this month, ensuring their equipment could meet the needs of a real emergency.
Fire crews during the training exercise | Photo courtesy of Curo
Fire crews descended on Berkeley House on Friday 6th September, a block of flats owned by Bath-based housing association Curo.
The training saw two fire engines outside, a ladder reaching almost to the top of the building, and smoke filling a flat on the highest floor.
Firefighters tested how high they could get their ladder, and then used the hose to see how much coverage of the building they could get with the water, and confirmed that they could reach all floors on that side of the building.
An empty flat on the eighth floor was filled with synthetic smoke and a dummy casualty was hidden in the bedroom so the fire officers could simulate a real-life rescue.
The smoke machine was left running for 30 minutes to check that the fire doors were effective at containing smoke.
Matt Bryant, Curo’s Fire Safety Team Leader Community Services, said: “The safety of our customers is our priority, and we are always very happy to work with Avon Fire and Rescue Service, to allow them to carry out training in our properties.
“Using the simulated smoke allowed us to test how the fire doors are working, and it was great to see how well the flat door prevented the smoke from reaching the communal areas.”
Rich Wheeler, Bath Fire Station Watch Manager, added: “Training in real buildings is essential within the work we carry out. It means that our crews are familiar with the environment and their surroundings in the case of a real fire.
“It also highlights any learnings we may need to have that can save us time in real life emergencies.
“Being able to work with organisations such as Curo is always a pleasure as it is clear they are committed to offering a high standard of safety for their residents.”
Curo says it has invested more than £8 million in fire safety measures across its properties in the past year.
