Written by: Emma Rose, Communications Manager - Property Maintenance
There were dramatic scenes at Berkeley House in Bath on Friday, 6 September.
Fire officers from Avon Fire and Rescue Service descended on the Snow Hill block of flats, with two fire engines outside, a ladder reaching almost to the top of the building, and smoke filling a flat on the highest floor.
There was no need for alarm, however, as it was a planned training exercise to ensure that in the event of a real emergency the fire service will be able to respond swiftly and effectively to keep our customers safe.
The fire officers tested how high they could get the ladder, and then used the hose to see how much coverage of the building they could get with the water, and confirmed that they could reach all floors on that side of the building.
An empty flat on the eighth floor was filled with synthetic smoke and a dummy casualty was hidden in the bedroom so the fire officers could simulate a real life rescue. The smoke machine was left running for 30 minutes to check that the fire doors were effective at containing smoke.
Matt Bryant, Curo’s Fire Safety Team Leader Community Services, said: “The safety of our customers is our priority, and we are always very happy 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 are working, 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 really highlights the importance of keeping communal areas clear.
“In a situation like this, when you can’t see, the only way to get around is to use the wall as a guide. Any items left in the communal areas become a potential obstacle that could prevent a safe escape.
“It also highlights the importance of keeping communal areas clear. These areas are often escape routes, so if an item in a communal area caught fire, could mean the whole area filling with smoke, making it difficult and dangerous to get out.”
Bath Fire Station, Watch Manager - Rich Wheeler said, “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.”
In the last year, we invested more than £8m in fire safety measures across its properties.