Training for a '˜risk area' tunnel rescue

Crews from Edwinstowe and Retford attended the exercise, held on the site of the construction of a new sewer system in Newark.

Mansfield district station manager Martin Bills also attended the exercise, where the crews rescued a casualty from the lengthy system of

tunnels.

He said: “This was a really good opportunity for our firefighters to train at a local risk area, as the sewer is currently in the process of being built underneath the town.

“The exercise simulated a rescue of a construction worker from the two-mile long tunnel.

“It is always important for our firefighters to keep developing their training, so that they are always ready for any situation which they could face at a real incident.

“The exercise was an overall success, with crews rescuing the casualty and learning more about the sewer construction itself.”

Three crews took part in the practice, rescuing a casualty from the new sewer in Newark.

They hauled the “dummy casualty”, meant to be a construction worker, from the two-mile long tunnel on a rope system up the shaft to safety.

Crews from the specialist rescue unit took the opportunity to train in a confined space, while firefighters from Retford and Edwinstowe trained using the service’s new breathing apparatus sets.

Roughly 15 firefighters took part in the exercise.