A patient collapsed into the bowl of a concrete mixer was one of the scenarios firefighters faced. Photo/Georgie Ivey
A patient collapsed into the bowl of a concrete mixer was one of the scenarios firefighters faced. Photo/Georgie Ivey
A chemical spill, a patient collapsed in a concrete mixer and a plane crash were among the scenarios which put some of Northland's volunteer firefighters to the test.
Forty firefighters from 17 brigades descended on Whangārei for the weekend to take part in the Northland Fire Brigades Sub Association fire camp.
Onerahi deputy fire chief Brian Redwood said there were also 12 trainers - four from Northland - involved in the weekend.
"The amount of training the participants got out of it was invaluable."
Firefighters wore special equipment as they tended to a mock chemical spill at Hurupaki School.
The event was hosted by the Onerahi and Kamo brigades and started out with a fire safety quiz on Friday evening.
Over the course of the weekend crews of four people responded to simulated events including a motor vehicle accident where they had to use cutting equipment to extricate patients, a patient in a concrete-mixer bowl, a chemical spill, a rural bush fire and a structure fire where people were reported as being inside.
The "grand finale" was a plane crash staged at Onerahi Airport and involving all the firefighters. Some paid firefighters were used to man the "command centre".
More than 20 local residents volunteered to be patients for the plane crash scenario.
Each scenario was marked for leadership, safety and teamwork and any outstanding firefighters were noted for prizegiving.
Team Foxtrot - Sarah Strathdee from Kaikohe, Evan Barclay from Ngunguru, Rob Smith from Waiheke and Andy Hamberger from Kerikeri - were the highest-scoring team.
All the firefighters and their appliances assembled at Onerahi Airport. Photo/Georgie Ivey
Strathdee was one of three firefighters from Kaikohe to attend the camp. She said the weekend tested her, but she learned new things.
"You just have to go and deal with it. There's always something to take from every single one."
Kaikohe's Sarah Strathdee, Ngunguru's Evan Barclay, Waiheke's Rob Smith and Kerikeri's Andy Hamberger were the camp's highest scoring team. Photo/Georgie Ivey
She said while the plane crash was something some of the firefighters will never have to deal with, the things they did are things which apply to other situations such as patient care and checking the perimeter for other patients.
Dargaville brigade's Donna Powell was the most outstanding or improved firefighter.
Dargaville volunteer fire brigade's Donna Powell was named the most outstanding or improved firefighter.
