WEST Midlands Fire Service is asking Black Country residents to volunteer their time to play key roles in training exercises.
WMFS Casualty Simulation Group (CSG) require more members to act as casualties as a way of bringing realism to firefighters’ training across a wide range of emergency-based scenarios.
Two large-scale exercises are held each weekend in the West Midlands and are designed to test and hone the skills and command structures required at serious incidents.
Adrienne Jemmett, leader of the group, said: “We’ve been supporting West Midlands Fire Service for many years and get a great deal of satisfaction from working with the emergency services and knowing we are helping them to be the best they can be.
“Our youngest members are around 14, but there’s no upper age limit and no prior experience is needed. We are just looking for enthusiastic people who want to do something worthwhile.
“We will provide all the training necessary and we also introduce members to fire service procedures, so they’re familiar with the activity going on around them at exercises.
“New members are introduced to the role gradually and aren’t asked to do anything they’re unsure of. It’s not all blood and gore!”
Members are asked to commit to helping out at a minimum of four exercises a year and, ideally, attend a group meeting every six weeks at Haden Cross community fire station, in Cradley Heath.
Area Commander Paul Burnham said: “The Casualty Simulation Group do some amazing work and bring important realism to our training exercises.
“We stage two exercises every weekend, to ensure that our firefighters and commanders are prepared to respond safely, effectively and assertively to the wide range of incidents we get called to.
“The exercises are staged at premises throughout the West Midlands, and often involve colleagues from other emergency services and agencies.”
For more information about the WMFS Casualty Simulation Group, call Adrienne on 07860 567491 or email aj.wmfscsg@gmail.com
The fire service is also on the search for new venues and environments. If you have a site you think might be suitable to host a WMFS training exercise, email public.relations@wmfs.net
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