This is a drill! The emergency services team from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service took to Tarmac’s Littlehampton asphalt plant to carry out specialist vehicle and capability training.
To maintain competency and prepare for potential emergency situations in a real-life environment, the crew at West Sussex Fire and Rescue teamed up with Tarmac to carry out training with its High Volume Pump (HVP) at the Littlehampton site.
Fire and rescue services from across the country have been equipped with HVPs, to assist in putting out fires and managing large areas of flooding, as well as responding to national incidents.
Laurence Joel, assistant manager at Tarmac Littlehampton, said: “We’re pleased we could accommodate the team at West Sussex Fire and Rescue with their training. We’ve got a pretty big site here at Littlehampton, and to be able to use it for something a little out of the ordinary has been brilliant.
“We’d be happy to welcome them back any time and are delighted we could help. It’s a nice feeling to be able to give back once in a while.”
Jon Etherington, lead High Volume Pump instructor for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Training periodically throughout the year is imperative to aid the operational readiness of the HVP asset, as well as to test the overall efficiency and skill of the crews. We’ve visited the Littlehampton site five times during June alone, and currently have approximately 30 people trained to use the HVP so far.
“Cooperation with local businesses and partners really does aid our training, ensuring we are prepared for any emergency which might come our way. We can’t thank Laurence and the team at Tarmac’s Littlehampton site enough, especially when it can often be difficult to find locations which are suitable to operate the HVPs due to the constraints of the vehicle and equipment. Carrying out training on a site like Littlehampton provides us with everything we need, and more.”
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service have had a HVP at Bognor Regis fire station since 2016. The asset consists of two prime mover MAN vehicles. One vehicle carries one kilometre of six-inch hose and a submersible pump, which is capable of pumping up to 7,000 litres of water a minute. The second vehicle carries 2 kilometres of six-inch hose. Both are crewed by five personnel.
To find out more about Tarmac, visit www.tarmac.com
