Sidmouth Fire Station joined other fire stations around East Devon to take part in a 'real-time simulation' in Honiton this week.

On Monday, October 30, crews took part in a multi-resource exercise in Honiton involving multiple causality rescues and hazardous material leaks.

The exercise was run as a simulation of a commercial building fire with multiple casualties as well as a chemical leak and was run as a ‘real-time’ exercise with staggered attendance to reflect a real incident.

The exercise allowed crews to practice their search and rescue techniques and sharpen their route finding skills in an unfamiliar environment in synthetic smoke as well as practice procedures when dealing with chemical spills and decontamination.

A spokesman for Sidmouth Fire Station said: "A big thank you goes out to Honiton Fire Station for organising the Exercise - these are great opportunities to work with our neighbouring stations and gain crucial skills and knowledge.

"Big thanks to Honiton Station for architecting this invaluable exercise. It’s gatherings such as these that emphasize the power of unity, acquaintance with our neighbours, and the constant elevation of our skill-set for the challenges that life throws at us."

Fire crews take part in training exercises throughout the year to make sure they are ready for real-life emergencies in the area. Sidmouth Fire Crew took part in a training exercise at the now-demolished Waterleat House in Newton Poppleford in 2022.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: "Firefighters need to train using techniques while searching in smoke and darkness to enable them to effectively reach casualties with limited or no vision, negotiating a complex building layout, obstacles en route and most importantly finding their way out.

"Finding buildings like Waterleat is a fantastic opportunity and we would like to thank DLux developments for letting us use the site."