Veolia Environmental Services Exercise

An exercise was recently held at Veolia Environmental Services, Corrin, Fermoy, County Cork involing Cork County Fire Service (Fermoy Fire Brigade).
The exercise involved a number of different scenarios including a search operation of a casualty within a warehouse carried out with Fire Fighters wearing Breathing Apparatus and the recovery of a casualty that had passed out within a confined space (a Bulk ISO Tanker).
I am very greatful to Mr. Colman of Veolia Environmental Services for the use of his photographs on this page.

Scenario 1

Scenario: Person reported missing within the warehouse after an incident. BA Search Team tasked to locate the casualty and extract them from the warehouse. Location of casualty within the warehouse: Unknown.

Prior to entry to the warehouse fire fighters BA Oxygen levels are entered on the BA Board, along name and who else is entering with them.

A BA Search Team enter the warehouse in search of the "victim" who is reported missing after a chemical leak within the warehouse. The fire fighters are linked together via buddy line.

The victim located within the warehouse

The Seacrh begins

Getting Closer..........

The casualty is found

Even the journey out is not straight forward, but all due care must be taken to extract the casualty and the team in a safe manner

Once out the team hand and after handing over the casualty the team report back to the BA ECO and set about either replacing the BA Cylinder with a fresh one for further operations or preparing to the set for re-entry provided they have enough air.

Scenario 2

Scenario: Person reported trapped after passing out whilst carrying out work with a confined space (Bulk ISO Tanker). BA Team to enter tank under air to extract the casualty in a safe manner.

The team is briefed prior to entry to the tank

The team make an initial assessment of the scene prior to entry

Fire Fighters take off their BA set but keep their mask on, as they enter the tank. Once inside they put back on the set so they can operate within the tank safely

The casualty is strapped to the a spinal board and lifted out of the tank opening to the outside world for treatment

Coming out of the tank is the reverse of going in, BA Sets must be removed from the back but the mask must stay on.