This week we had a BA drill with White Watch in the smoke house at Normanshurst.
This drill was ostensibly for two retained firefighters from Bungay who needed to catch up on some BA work.
The scenario was that the smoke house was a Youth Hostel and that there was a fire on the first floor with multiple persons reported.
The Bungay team were first in, taking the hosereel and searching off the right-hand wall. Not long after entering the building they located a casualty under the staircase and brought him out. They recommitted and worked they way round the groundfloor maze of metal cagework before going up to the first floor. Teams two and three followed, extending the search when team one were low on air.
I was in team four with Mark Saunders so we manned the BAECO board until White Watch returned from a shout and could do the honours. Mark went in a as number one and we made our way as quickly as possible to where team three were finishing their search. We received a quick brief from them as they made their way out with a casualty. We continued until we found the branch and soon after found a 'youngster' laying on a sofa. We did the customary 1 metre sweep around the area and then started to make our way out. I radioed BAECO to inform them of our find and that we were exiting the building.
And that was that. All casualties were found, which is good, and the whole evening passed quickly – also good!