Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service conducts training at Great Ellingham

The training involved firefighters from both Attleborough and Hingham Fire Stations, who took part in a search and rescue exercise using breathing apparatus. Cosmetic smoke was used to simulate a domestic house fire, and crews navigated the smoke-filled buildings to carry out a search and rescue to find casualties.

This was the second exercise Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has conducted on this development this year.

Ben Chase, managing quantity surveyor at Lovell and an on-call firefighter based at East Harling Fire Station who arranged the training said: “This time the exercise was carried out in the winter so the properties were naturally dark, two plots were smoked out so that the crews had limited visibility and could train in more realistic conditions. This training helps to test operational responses in unfamiliar environments and strengthens the teams being prepared for real-life emergencies. It was our pleasure to host Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service on this vital training exercise.”

Paul Seaman, Head of Operations at NFRS, said: “Being able to train in realistic environments is crucial for us in being prepared for all types of emergencies. We are grateful to Lovell Homes and Flagship for allowing our firefighters to train in this location.”

Tony Tann, Flagship Homes MD commented: “We’re grateful to be able to contribute in whatever way we can, such as providing our homes for authentic situations, to the ongoing training for the vital services that NFRS performs for the community.”

The training lasted approximately an hour and a half, and residents were notified of the event via a letter.

The Great Ellingham development is in partnership with Flagship Homes, the development subsidiary of Flagship Group.