Exmouth firefighters are put through their paces

EXMOUTH recycling centre this week was the scene of a multiple car pile-up when the emergency services held a training session after hours.

The exercise was arranged by Exmouth fire station's blue watch commander Dave Cogger, giving firefighters from Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Topsham, Sidmouth and Taunton the opportunity to train alongside each other in a realistic emergency situation.

A multiple car pile-up, involving four cars and nine trapped people, was set up on the exit road to the recycling centre.

Vehicles were either on their side or upside down and live victims supplied by the Casualty Union - who provided realistic injuries consistent with a road traffic collision - were at the scene of the mock accident.

The two-and-a-half-hour exercise also tested the response by the St John Ambulance organisation, who attended from Exmouth with its ambulance and crew.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "The training session was important because it gets the crews working together with other agencies to improve their efficiency and safe working practises.

"It enables the fire service to get trapped people out of cars in a shorter time, without any further injuries - because sometimes it can take quite a while.