IN the twilight hours of a mild October night, two Teignbridge fire crews came together for a training exerise, with a little help from the districts’ Police officers

Crews from Newton Abbot and Bovey Tracey Fire Stations gathered at Gilpins Demolition on Tuesday, October 25, in a joint Road Traffic Collision (RTC) exercise which involved a three vehicle collision with the driver absconding from the scene.

Putting their acting chops to the test, crew members from Newton Abbot Fire Station took on the role of witnessess, as well as the missing driver.

Upon arriving at the mock incident, a contingent of Devon’s finest set out in search of the missing driver while remaining Police officers completed their inquires.

In no time at all, officers located the driver, who was hidden nearby, and arrested them under suspicion of drink driving, in the meanwhile fire crews dealt with the incidient.

The Incident Commander sectorised the RTC and appointed a sector commander to deal with each vehicle individually.

Given one vehicle was on its side, the decision was made to cut posts A, B and C in order to perform a roof flap which would allow crews greater access to the inside of the vehicle; the other two vehicles were on all four wheels and both sector commanders made the same decision to remove the roofs entirely.

The mock occupant inside the first vehicle was, however, deemed to be deceased as a result of their injures.

With a smorgasbord of equipment, including both hydraulic and battery tools, to hand, crews removed the roofs and extricated one casualty, however, the live casualty driver supplied by the Police remained trapped in the vehicle by her legs.

Utilising two hydraulic rams, fire crews pushed the dashboard and front of the car off the casualty, freeing the casualty and bringing the exercise to an end.

The scenerio allowed for fire crews to perform multiple techniques, as well as practice and understand the capabilities and limitations of both themselves and the other emergency services present.