FIRE crews from Wellington have taken part in a three-yearly exercise to keep them prepared in case of a major incident requiring mass decontamination of people.

The Wellington station operates specialist equipment to ensure national resilience for high volume pumping and mass decontamination units (MDU).

Devon and Somerset Fie and Rescue (DSFR) undertakes an audit every three years to ensure the firefighters can provide the service required to a good standard at any time.

Casualty Union volunteers being prepared for mass decontamination during a firefighting exercise.
Casualty Union volunteers being prepared for mass decontamination during a firefighting exercise. (DSFR)

So, an exercise was held in a Somerset location supported by volunteers from Casualty Union to mimic ‘members of the public’.

Other fire stations which operate MDU and pumping appliances - Taunton, and Okehampton, Chagford, and Clyst St George, from Devon - attended with the Wellington crews.

It takes 24 firefighters to operate a mass decontamination unit.

The exercise brief detailed civilians contaminated with an unknown powder following a road traffic collision where mass decontamination was required.

Wellington fire crews taking part in a mass decontamination training exercise.
Wellington fire crews taking part in a mass decontamination training exercise. (DSFR)

Wellington, Okehampton, and Chagford crews erected a firefighter MD4 decontamination structure and a public MD1-3 structure.

With the help of Taunton and Clyst St George, hot water was supplied via Wellington’s boiler to provide showering facilities.

Green colour powered respirator protective suits were used to protect firefighters from simulated secondary exposure and to guide casualties through the structures.

A training exercise for Wellington fire crews in the event of mass decontamination of the public being necessary.
A training exercise for Wellington fire crews in the event of mass decontamination of the public being necessary. (DSFR)

A DSFR spokesperson said: “It was great to train with live casualties to make the training more realistic.

“A lot of of effort was put in by the organisers and the attending crews to adequately demonstrate the skills we hold.”