SIMULATED FIRE AND BLAST TRAINING :

Station 20, SHELLY BEACH :Training has a high priority at Sea Rescue and is an ongoing process. After recently drawing up a standard operating procedure (SOP) for refueling the vessels and vehicles on the base Shelly Beach Station Commander, Mark Harlen, decided to put the crew through its paces to ensure that it was up to speed in the event of a blast and fire during refueling.Under the watchful eye of the base first aid coordinator, Audrey de Jager, two crewmen were made up to simulate second and third degree burns on arms and forearms, lacerations of the face, an impaled object in the neck and a dislocated knee as well as possible head and neck injuries. Realistic simulated wounds and burns were made and applied to the “victims”, Jerry Jackson and David de Jong, who were also asked to act the part to make it more difficult and realistic for the first aid teams treating them.The two victims were then placed in the simulated blast and fire zones and an alarm was sounded. The crew swung into action.During the debriefing after the exercise, Harlen said he was satisfied, but there were still a few areas that needed improvement. The lessons learned from the exercise will be distributed to the crew.“All in all, it was satisfying to see the crew pulling together and applying the training they have been getting over the past months”, he said. Jerry Jackson receiving wound make-up. David de Jong being made up by Audrey de Jager and Cathy Rolt (foreground). “Victim” David de Jong. “Victim” David de Jong. Crew in action during the training.