Shropshire firefighters “rescued” stranded casualties in a water training exercise which mirrored real life rescues carried out on the fast flowing River Teme at Ludlow.
A total of 40 firefighters from Ludlow, Craven Arms, Shrewsbury and Tweedale in Telford took part in the training exercise last night which was filmed by a TV news crew from Central TV and due to be broadcast to a wide Midlands audience.
The training scenario involved a family of five who got into difficulties when their boat capsized. The first Ludlow crew attended the scene at Dinham Bridge where they were last seen while a second crew went to the bottom end of the river at Casemill Weir.
Firefighters also scoured the banks of the river just as they would in a real life rescue, said Retained Support Officer Jason Norgrove.
An incident command post was set up in the middle of the river at Ludford Bridge.
The casualties were rescued by firefighters using the water rescue boat while one further casualty was brought to the bank by firefighters using an inflatable hose.
Firefighters have attended incidents in the past to rescue people and animals from the River Teme and along the river banks.
“It is for this reason that exercises are so important to us so that all our firefighters are trained ready for any type of water rescue.
“We do rescue a lot of people who get caught out on the river and get into difficulties in and around the number of weirs.” said Mr Norgorve.
