A RETAINED firefighter from Yelverton has been praised for his role in a recent staged emergency exercise, carried out by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

 The scenario for the exercise involved a car that had been hit by a train while on a level crossing, using the Plym Valley Railway.

Fred Glanville from Yelverton was the officer in charge of the exercise.

Retained firefighter from, Ivybridge, Ian Wall, said:  'The train and car were placed 200 meters from the level crossing, which is the normal stopping distance for a train of this size to come to a stop, and the car would be ripped in half as we've staged it.'  

The train carriage was full of volunteer 'casualties' — members of the railway as well as a local drama group. The car had a volunteer 'casulty' inside who had been impaled and a fatality was under the train.

About 40 firefighters from retained crews from Ivybridge, Modbury, Yelverton, Princetown and Bere Alston as well as a whole time incident commander from Greenbank Station took part in the exercise.

Ivybridge crew manager, Simon Wonnacott, said: 'The firefighters had no idea what to expect when they arrived and were surprised to find the train and scenario set up in front of them. This they dealt with remarkably well and reverted back to their protocol and training.

"Fred Glanville, the officer in charge held everyone together and his command of control was excellent. The exercise took over an hour and a half to complete.

'The overall view is the exercise went very successfully and according to plan and completing on time. I am very pleased with how it went.'

David Elbrow, safety director with Plym Valley Railway, said: 'This is the perfect chance for us to practise a full evacuation for an event which hopefully will never happen.

'It also gives us the opportunity to work in partnership with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and go through the paces of a real live emergency.'