CUB-SCOUTS and their leaders were involved in a dramatic training exercise with the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service last Sunday.
The exercise, which took place in the 689 yard Berwyn Tunnel outside Llangollen, involved 68 passengers including the cub-scouts and their leaders being evacuated from a train.
The scenario for the exercise was that a train had derailed inside the tunnel and Fire-Fighters had to search the evacuated smoke filled carriages using flashlights and breathing apparatus.
David Mottram, County Operations Manager for Denbighshire said “The exercise was conducted to ensure North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and their partner agencies are prepared and properly trained for the possibility of a train de-railing.
“We at North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are committed to offering the best service possible to the residents of our region. By organising these role playing exercises we are training our staff to the highest possible standard and preparing them so that they have experience should a similar incident occur.”
“We would like to thank Llangollen’s scout group, their leaders and instructors and Llangollen Railway Society for helping us on the day and ensuring that the exercise was as realistic as possible.”
The exercise, which took place in the 689 yard Berwyn Tunnel outside Llangollen, involved 68 passengers including the cub-scouts and their leaders being evacuated from a train.
The scenario for the exercise was that a train had derailed inside the tunnel and Fire-Fighters had to search the evacuated smoke filled carriages using flashlights and breathing apparatus.
David Mottram, County Operations Manager for Denbighshire said “The exercise was conducted to ensure North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and their partner agencies are prepared and properly trained for the possibility of a train de-railing.
“We at North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are committed to offering the best service possible to the residents of our region. By organising these role playing exercises we are training our staff to the highest possible standard and preparing them so that they have experience should a similar incident occur.”
“We would like to thank Llangollen’s scout group, their leaders and instructors and Llangollen Railway Society for helping us on the day and ensuring that the exercise was as realistic as possible.”
(196)
Published in the Wrexham Evening Leader
http://www.wrexhamleader.co.uk/news/999-tunnel-training-for-cub.3505578.jp
Comment – Cub Scouts Story.
This article went into the paper on the following Wednesday as page lead with two photographs of the evacuation. It was printed as it was submitted. On reflection, it requires subbing and should perhaps be shorter. For example, the quote from David Mottram is a bit too long.
The Wrexham Evening Leader has a very positive relationship with the local Fire Service. Whereas the paper’s reporters are frequently complaining about the lack of information they receive from the police, press releases and phone calls from the Fire Service are quite regular. The reporters at the Leader have such positive contacts at the Fire Service that when they hear the sirens on the street outside they call the control room and ask where the fire engine is going!
The story originated from a press release but the quotes provided were quite weak and after initially writing it I realised it was much too short. The senior reporter advised me that there were photographs to accompany the article and that it needed to be more than a ‘Brief’. The completed article finished up being just under 200 words.
Getting hold of David Mottram, proved to be difficult but I managed to obtain a mobile telephone number for him. He was clearly in the middle of something when I called him and he asked if he could email me with a comment on the training exercise. Rather than inconvenience him and keep the news editor waiting, I said that email quotes would be fine. The strength of the piece is the fact it is accompanied by photographs of the scouts being rescued from the train :- without these the article would not have worked.
Comment – Cub Scouts Story.
This article went into the paper on the following Wednesday as page lead with two photographs of the evacuation. It was printed as it was submitted. On reflection, it requires subbing and should perhaps be shorter. For example, the quote from David Mottram is a bit too long.
The Wrexham Evening Leader has a very positive relationship with the local Fire Service. Whereas the paper’s reporters are frequently complaining about the lack of information they receive from the police, press releases and phone calls from the Fire Service are quite regular. The reporters at the Leader have such positive contacts at the Fire Service that when they hear the sirens on the street outside they call the control room and ask where the fire engine is going!
The story originated from a press release but the quotes provided were quite weak and after initially writing it I realised it was much too short. The senior reporter advised me that there were photographs to accompany the article and that it needed to be more than a ‘Brief’. The completed article finished up being just under 200 words.
Getting hold of David Mottram, proved to be difficult but I managed to obtain a mobile telephone number for him. He was clearly in the middle of something when I called him and he asked if he could email me with a comment on the training exercise. Rather than inconvenience him and keep the news editor waiting, I said that email quotes would be fine. The strength of the piece is the fact it is accompanied by photographs of the scouts being rescued from the train :- without these the article would not have worked.
No comments:
Post a Comment