Scottish FRS and Texas Instruments conduct joint exercise in Inverclyde

Firefighters and an Inverclyde factory’s own emergency response team staged a joint training exercise to conduct search and rescue operations in a hazardous environment.

The exercise at the Texas Instruments facility in Greenock on Wednesday (1 April) saw Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews and the company’s personnel work side-by-side to learn how each other’s procedures would be implemented in the event of a serious incident.

Depicting a fire within a loading bay, the scenario saw the facility’s team faced with contractors coughing and spluttering as they made their way from the building.

The contractors reported their colleagues remained inside the bay containing potentially hazardous chemicals, with the emergency team then calling SFRS.

Area Manager Paul Tanzilli, the SFRS local senior officer, said: “This was a valuable opportunity for our crews to train with site personnel.

“This exercise gave our crews the chance to carry out search and rescue operations and it allowed the Texas Instrument’s emergency response team to test their in-house procedures.

“Realistic scenarios allow firefighters to gain an insight into how our partners operate and of course it leads to a mutual understanding that would be of real benefit should our teams ever have to work together for real.

“I’d like to thank Texas Instruments for approaching us about this exercise and I’ve no doubt that our strong partnership will continue.”

Crews from both Greenock and Gourock community fire stations were involved in the exercise and it will be followed by a table-top exercise for incident commanders later in the year.

Carole McLellan – environment, safety and health manager for Texas Instruments – said: “As a responsible company safety is always at the centre of our operations and this exercise was a valuable way of testing our policies and procedures.

“In the event of an incident our emergency response teams are tasked with establishing the nature of the situation and providing important information to firefighters who are sent in response.

“Testing how this would operate not only ensures our contingency planning and procedures are robust, it also means our staff have experience operating alongside the fire and rescue crews, which would of course be crucial at any incident.”

For more information please visit www.firescotland.gov.uk