Wednesday 31 March
08:00hrs
Firefighters from Bath Fire Station are extending their large
animal rescue skills thanks to a partnership with the British Horse
Society (BHS).
The sessions are being led by BHS trainers at the Trekking
Centre, Wellow, near Bath, and in return for the use of the Riding
for the Disabled Association’s indoor arena, the BHS will make a
donation to the charity.
An equine instructor provides firefighters with theoretical and
practical training so that when they are called to help large
animals, such as horses and cows, in distress they can deal with
the situation with confidence and ensure the safety and well being
of the animal and members of the public.
In 2007 Avon Fire & Rescue Service was called upon to rescue
30 large animals, including horses, cows and deer, and continues to
make sure its staff are well trained to deal with animal
rescues.
Avon Fire & Rescue Service Station Manager, Gary Weeks,
said: “Under The Fire Services Act we are legally required to
respond to incidents involving animals, so it is imperative we know
what we are dealing with and can train our crews accordingly.
“These training sessions have proved to be very valuable for all
our staff and we are very grateful to the British Horse Society for
their efforts in helping us secure the time at the trekking
centre.”
Chair of the Avon branch of the British Horse Society committee,
Jennifer Ham, said: “This is a very worthwhile training exercise,
not only for the firefighters but also members of the community who
may come into contact with large animals in need of emergency
assistance.”
In the last month Avon Fire & Rescue Service has been
involved in rescuing a horse which had collapsed in a ditch and
another which was trapped in a horsebox during a road traffic
collision.
The service recently purchased a specially designed horse
mannequin for firefighters across the service to use as part of
their training. The mannequin is the same weight and dimensions as
an average horse so that training carried out by firefighters can
be a realistic as possible.
During the training sessions firefighters learn about the
anatomy of a horse, its behaviour, how to approach the animal and
how to put a head collar on to the animal and lead it to
safety.
The sessions also include an exercise simulation where a stable
catches fire and crews are needed to evacuate the animals safely
and tackle the blaze.
Ends