Fire training exercise at Berkeley House, Bath.

On 6 September, Avon Fire and Rescue Service conducted a planned training exercise with the housing association Curo at Berkeley House in Bath.

Our fire crews arrived with two fire engines, deploying a ladder that extended near the top of the building, while synthetic smoke filled a flat on the eighth floor.

Although it appeared dramatic, there was no cause for concern. This exercise was designed to ensure that our crews can respond quickly and effectively in the event of a real emergency.

An empty flat was filled with synthetic smoke, and a dummy casualty was hidden inside to simulate a live rescue. This was so crews could test the effectiveness of the fire doors in containing smoke within the flat.

Bath Fire Station Watch Manager, Rich Wheeler, emphasized the importance of such training: “Training in real buildings is essential within the work we carry out. It means that our crews are familiar with the environment and their surroundings in the case of a real fire. It also highlights any learnings we may need to have that can save us time in real-life emergencies. Being able to work with organisations such as Curo is always a pleasure as it is clear they are committed to offering a high standard of safety for their residents.”

Matt Bryant, Fire Safety Team Leader from Curo, commented:
“The safety of our customers is our priority, and we are always delighted to work with Avon Fire and Rescue Service, to allow them to carry out training in our properties.

“Using the simulated smoke allowed us to test how the fire doors work, and it was great to see how well the flat door prevented the smoke from reaching the communal areas.”

“Opening the door for just 90 seconds filled the area with smoke and the visibility was almost zero. In a real fire, this smoke would be thick, black smoke and it would almost certainly be toxic. This highlights the importance of keeping communal areas clear, as they are often used as escape routes.

Special thanks to Curo and Bath fire station for organised this important training exercise.