Firefighters search for ‘casualties’ in thick smoke during training exercise in Harborough housing development

Firefighters recreated emergency conditions as they searched for ‘casualties’ in thick smoke on a housing development site in Market Harborough.

This was all part of a training exercise by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Services who used a house on the Davidson Homes site to practice casualty searches.

Crews from Lutterworth, Kibworth, and Harborough collaborated in the exercise.

Firefighter Owain Raymond said: “Navigating through such an environment can be disorienting, underscoring the importance of having effective procedures in place for the safety of the crew.

“With a considerable number of new recruits, participating in exercises like this offers a valuable opportunity to simulate real-life conditions before potentially facing an actual incident involving risks to life or property.

“We are looking forward to future collaborations with Davidson Homes and appreciate the opportunity for such beneficial training experiences.”

The service is always looking for new recruits to become on-call firefighters, to join teams at Market Harborough, Lutterworth, and Kibworth. Becoming an on-call firefighter offers the flexibility of maintaining a day job while being available to respond to incidents day or night.

Owain added: “The experience is incredibly challenging but very rewarding as you contribute to the community in times of need. The unpredictable nature of emergency calls adds an exciting element to the job—when the call comes in, you never know what situation you might be responding to. The incidents we handle vary widely, from minor animal rescues to serious road traffic collisions or large fires throughout the county.”

Those interested can visit their local station or the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Services website.