Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service rescue training
On Thursday 20th July 2023, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service carried out an essential, realistic, and challenging water rescue training at the lakes in Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City.
Crews from Hatfield with the Water Rescue Unit, Welwyn Garden City, the drone from Potters Bar, and the Command Support Unit from Hertford attended as well as the assistance from Fire Control and Hertfordshire Police.
The scenario presented to the crews was in the form of multiple persons in distress in the water. This is something the fire crews train regularly for amongst other scenarios. However, on this occasion it allowed use of other specialist resources such as the drone to provide aerial support to the ground and aid with the search on a much larger and faster scale. The CSU also allowed the drone’s footage to be streamed to large screen’s, making it easier for Incident Commanders to co-ordinate a plan and show other emergency service colleagues present to make the scenario as real as possible.
Water can be very inviting, especially during the warmer weather, however we urge members of the public to swim at designated venues, with the correct supervision in place.
Remember that water can be dangerous and challenging even for trained professionals. It's crucial to let the experts handle the situation while you provide essential information and support. Prompt action in alerting emergency services can significantly increase the chances of a successful rescue.
Dial 999 immediately to contact the UK emergency services and request assistance. Inform them of the location using what3words.com if possible, explain the situation, providing any relevant details about the person in distress. If they are at the coast, ask for the coastguard, if they are inland (a river, lake, canal etc) ask for the fire and rescue service.
If you have a young person in your care, please take the time to educate them, explain the risks of jumping into cold water and how even a strong swimmer could struggle to stay afloat.
Hopefully the interest gained from this particular exercise scenario demonstrates how dangerous the water can be if you’re not careful.
This type of training in a live and natural environment is invaluable for our local crews who sent a massive thank you to the staff at BETTER Stanborough Park, for supporting this exercise.