Stepnell play host to Staged Crane Rescue
On Saturday 15th May 2010 the West Midlands Fire Service staged a crane rescue situation on Stepnell’s Grange Road, Retirement Apartments project in Solihull.
Attending the site, where Stepnell are currently building 28 new apartments for Aspen Retirement Ltd were the Technical Rescue Unit team of Bickenhall Fire Station.
The staged scenario was based around a crane maintenance worker who had suffered a cardiac arrest and needed to be lowered to the ground and the awaiting ambulance.
With all the correct paperwork in place, one of the Unit's own members was able to play the part of the patient, to add to the realism.
Local residents were informed of the event prior to the day to avoid any anguish onlookers of the rescue drill may experience. Although events did get even more exciting when the unit received a real callout whilst finishing off the training exercise with team members still 38m off the ground.
Richard Arthur, Site Manager of the project noted they came down a lot quicker than they went up once they were alerted to the real emergency.
The Unit thanked Richard for his kind offer to use the crane, adding that they gained some very realistic and essential experience and that they don’t often get the opportunity to practice such a specialist drill.
Jim Collingwood