London fireboat plays key role in Thames exerciseLondon Fire Brigade’s fireboat has taken part in a major search and rescue exercise on the River Thames.
The exercise, which took place in Chelsea Harbour on Wednesday 1 November, involved the evacuation of a passenger vessel and the rescue of a number of casualties from the water. The fireboat attended the crash site and, along with Police Marine Support and the RNLI, rescued 25 casualties who had left the sinking vessel and jumped into the river. The emergency services were then given 30 minutes to evacuate the remaining casualties – played by army personnel – from the boat and to land them at sites nominated by the police. As well as the fireboat, the Brigade deployed fire appliances from Chelsea Fire Station to Albert and Chelsea Bridge to spot people in the water. London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Service Delivery, Ron Dobson, said: “A partnership approach to both planning for, and responding to, incidents such as the one replicated in this exercise is essential. It provided the Brigade and its partners on the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel with a valuable opportunity to test their response procedures to a major incident on the River Thames in a realistic environment.” Lambeth River Station Manager Darren Munro added: “Testing the way we work and communicate with other search and rescue agencies, as well as testing our shore-to-river communications in a realistic environment, was a valuable exercise.” For more information please contact Darren Munro, Station Manager, Lambeth River Station: 020 7587 4545. |
Article Date: 13th March 2007 |
