South West Water hosts dramatic rescue for fire service training

26th March 2021

South West Water’s Munty water tower near Taunton was the scene of a dramatic rescue during a fire service rope rescue training exercise this month.

The structure, an in-service element of the local water supply system serving customers in Devon and Somerset, was the perfect venue for a crew from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to train from an unusual and challenging environment.

The first rescue scenario took place inside, where specialist working at height equipment was used to recover a ‘casualty’ from the top floor.

Strong winds and rain created an extra challenge for the second scenario, where a ‘worker’ suspended on ropes outside the tower needed rescuing after suffering a medical emergency.

South West Water’s Network & Customer Service Manager, Jason Harvey, said: “Buildings of this nature are few and far between in the South West so we were delighted to be able to offer Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service the opportunity to use Munty water tower and other sites for training exercises.

“This is a good example of how we work with our strategic partners, particularly in the context of emergency response.”

Crew Manager George Bartlett said: “As a specialist rescue team we attend a variety of incidents, including rescues from height. Having a real structure to carry out complex training rescues is invaluable for maintaining and improving our skills. We are extremely grateful to South West Water for their continued support.”

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has completed training exercises at other South West Water sites, including during construction of an underground stormwater storage tank in Torquay and at Mayflower Water Treatment Works near Plymouth.

ENDS