| Fire Station Investigation |
On Friday 7th November year 11 pupils visited Barry Fire Station as part of the Health and Safety module of their Life Skills Course.
When we arrived we were put into two groups and each had a tour of several fire trucks including the Special Response vehicle. We were shown equipment used for rescuing people trapped in cars and buildings including cutters, saws and drills.
When treating chemical fires the fire fighters have to take special precautions in order to protect the environment and people’s property. They receive special training for chemical spillages due to Dow Corning being very near. We were taken into a darkened room and shown how the fire service use thermal image cameras which detect heat. They use this when attending fires where visibility is restricted due to heavy smoke or darkness. This is extremely helpful when searching for injured people and detecting heat sources within buildings.
When not attending fires, traffic accidents and rescuing animals and people they spend most of their time training in “The cage”. A metal structure that gives them vital experience of circumstances that they may encounter during their service to the public such as working in very confined spaces while wearing breathing apparatus and carrying equipment. They also practice in the sewers and tunnels that are under the fire station.
To end our visit they allowed us to experience different types of pressure hoses with varying levels of water pressure that they use depending on the type of fire.
I would like to thank White Watch for an exciting and interesting afternoon and I hope others will get the opportunity for a similar event.
Report & photos by
Mark Wallace
Breathing apparatus demonstration
Exploring the contents of a rescue vehicle
Mark trying out the hose
Rhys trying out the hose
The professionals demonstrate a high pressure hose
AC 2008-11-13
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