Operation Radcott Multi Agency Exercise a success
On Thursday 28 September 2023 East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service took part in an multi agency operational exercise (Operation Radcott) at Camber Sands.
This partnership initiative, organised by South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), was developed in collaboration with Operation Radcott partners in East Sussex including SECAmb, Rother District Council, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Sussex Police, HM Coastguard and East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service.
The exercise focused on beach based risks to keep residents and visitors to the popular coastal resort safe. It provided a valuable opportunity to test resilience and preparedness in dealing with an emergency, utilising resources in a coordinated multi-agency approach.
The exercise tested various scenarios including a gas explosion from a cylinder used for a barbecue which resulted in children and adults suffering from burns, entering the water and then getting into trouble, breathing difficulties from smoke inhalation, a collision between a kite buggy and a child, an adult with chest pains not related to the incident, aggression towards responders and a patient falling into sand dunes.
Group Manager Simon Neill said: "Crews were presented with some very challenging situations due to the logistics and locality of the incident alongside the severity of the injuries we were faced with. It was an extremely beneficial training exercise and allowed our crews to practice their skills within a realistic simulation of a multi-agency incident."
Mark Matthews, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Director of Service Delivery said: ‘‘Through this collaborative approach we were able to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to safeguarding our communities in and around water. The importance of coordinated multi agency working and rigorous training exercises cannot be overstated, enabling us to test and refine our response and strengthen public safety.’’
Paramedic and Operational Team Leader at SECAmb’s East Sussex Operating Unit, Martin Watson said: “The exercise successfully provided us with the opportunity to bring Operation Radcott partners together to safely test our emergency response plans. I would like to thank everyone involved. In total we had around 100 people participate, from each organisation and as volunteers assisting. The teams were able to work with each other to hone their skills, learn from each other and ensure we are as best placed as possible to respond in the event of a genuine emergency in the area.’’
Partners will now work together to develop learning and recommendations to allow this successful partnership to continue effectively for the safety of all residents and visitors.
To find out more from us about outdoor safety including beach safety and barbecue safety visit: Outdoors | East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (esfrs.org)
