On Sunday
4 November Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s USAR Team (Urban Search
and Rescue) travelled to Atherstone-on-Stour, Warwickshire, to join
specialist teams from across the country to assist in the search
for the three missing firefighters, following a devastating
warehouse fire on Friday 2 November.
Over the weekend
AF&RS sent its sincere and heartfelt condolences to the
families and colleagues of those affected by this incident.
As events unfolded, Avon officers and senior managers monitoring
the situation offered AF&RS’s support. Further to this,
Avon’s USAR Team was put on standby to attend.
On Sunday morning
AF&RS was contacted by the Fire and Rescue Service National
Co-ordinating Centre, based in West Yorkshire, which plays a key
role in mobilising national resources to large-scale
incidents. The USAR team travelled to Warwickshire, to start
its first shift at midnight, finishing at 7am on Monday 5
November.
Avon’s USAR Team
has been working closely with other specially trained colleagues
from across the country. The first phase of its work has been
to help shore up the collapsed structure. This is to provide
safe entry so that the search for the three missing firefighters
can take place.
The team from Avon
will remain in Warwickshire over the next few days providing
support and assistance at this difficult time.
Urban Search and Rescue forms part of the Government’s New
Dimension programme which provides the fire and rescue service with
the capability to respond to major emergencies involving chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) events, search and
rescue, major flooding incidents and major transport
incidents.