Staff from across Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service have delivered crucial training on the effects that poor access to properties can have when dealing with emergency incidents.
Members of the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Protection Team alongside Red Watch at Corby Fire Station delivered a practical session to staff from local authority Planning, Building Control and Highways departments to show the barriers faced when arriving at a premise with poor access for emergency vehicles.
The exercise took place on the drill yard at Corby Fire Station and across two separate drills, the crew undertook the same scenario of arriving at a building, setting up and entering the building. The only difference between the two drills was the access the crew could get to the premises.
During the first drill, with good access, the crew could park 15 metres from the property. They were able to enter the building to extinguish the fire within five minutes.
The second time, with poor access, the crew had to park 55 metres away from the property and entered the building within ten minutes.
The exercise didn’t just focus on new build properties, it also took into consideration planning for events and traffic restrictions that can affect access firefighters have to different premises.
This was the first demonstration of its kind that has been carried out by Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service and is something that the Service will look to replicate in the future.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service Head of Protection Scott Richards (pictured above) was pleased with how the event went. Scott said: “Being able to explicitly show local authority staff who have influence in building and planning, how they can help us to keep people safe was brilliant.
“The exercise was a stark reminder of the additional risk and complications that are generated when access to properties is limited, so I hope that everyone who attended will understand that giving early consideration to fire safety and working with us, can help keep communities across Northamptonshire safe.”
Councillor Jan O’Hara, Executive Member for Planning and Economic Growth at North Northamptonshire Council, said: “Emergency services, including the Fire and Rescue Service, are statutory consultees in the planning process, and this exercise powerfully demonstrates why.
“Ensuring that buildings and developments are accessible in an emergency is not just a design consideration, it’s a matter of life safety. We are committed to working closely with our partners to make sure that access for emergency vehicles is prioritised from the earliest stages of planning.
“We’re grateful to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service for delivering such a well-organised and impactful training session, it really brought the message home.”
