London Fire Brigade train for crane rescue at a Durkan construction site
Durkan recently invited the London Fire Brigade to conduct specialist training on a 28 metre high crane at their Royal Military Academy site in Woolwich where Durkan are developing over 300 apartments.
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A Fire Rescue Unit crew from Bexley Fire Station, performed their first stage of training for a rescue from a crane. The aim of the training was to assess which equipment the team would use in the case of a rescue and to give them experience of rescuing people at a height. Crane rescues present unique challenges to rescue teams due to restricted space which limits movement and the use of equipment. To assist the team to evaluate these challenges Durkan shut down part of their site at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich for the day, this enabled the team to actively train at the top of the 28 metre high crane. Durkan will again close part of the site for the teams second part of training, it will form part of a combined exercise with other fire stations who have line rescue trained personnel, this will involve rescuing a dummy from the crane’s cabin. John Willoughby, Station manager at Bexley Fire Station commented ‘This is unique opportunity for the London Fire Brigade to train at such a height, we understand the implications involved in closing part of Durkan’s site. Our rescue teams are highly trained people with the experience and qualifications to perform rescues at a height and our training sessions need to be as close to the real thing as possible, in the event of us being called to perform such rescues.’ Ian Cresswell, Durkan Health, Safety and Environmental Director commented ‘Durkan understand the need for the fire service to train in crane rescues and feel that by offering this access we will be helping many crane operators should they fall ill. It is essential that the London Fire Brigade has this opportunity so that they can also assess the right equipment to be able to handle a rescue when there is a need.’
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