On Monday morning, a fire drill was held on the parade ground of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade (10BKPanc). The firefighters not only set a mock tent alight in the pouring rain, but also demonstrated a professional rescue operation, an organized evacuation, and a highly efficient communications and coordination system.
There is no doubt that preparing the military unit’s forces and resources to take action is one of the brigade’s priorities. The primary purpose of the fire drill for the personnel of 10BKPanc was to reinforce their knowledge of procedures in the event of a fire. Efficient cooperation and knowledge of how to act in the event of a fire make it possible to remain calm in the face of danger and prevent panic from breaking out among the civilian population.
The tank crews practiced preparing to cooperate with fire services, while commanders improved their command of subunits and ad hoc groups of military employees. The readiness of duty services and designated personnel was also checked.
The exercise included a demonstration of evacuating a tank crew from a tank whose engine compartment had caught fire. The Military Fire Service (WSP) and the medical evacuation team of the Medical Support Group (GZMed) began rescue operations, removing the injured from inside the vehicle and providing them with qualified first aid.
The WSP unit from Dobre nad Kwisą demonstrated a tent fire; under normal conditions, such a tent burns very quickly, within 10–12 seconds. The rain slowed the process somewhat, but the soldiers were still able to see that in such a situation it is necessary to act quickly and decisively. Next, the chemical platoon of the 10BKPanc command battalion began firefighting operations after a fire broke out in the forest. Using IRS-2 decontamination and sanitation spray systems, it extinguished the fire until firefighting units arrived. Although the IRS-2 is intended for eliminating contamination, it can also be used for non-specific operations, such as extinguishing fires.
The fire drill concluded with another rescue operation. This time, the driver of a passenger car lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree. As a result of the collision, he lost consciousness and became trapped inside the vehicle. Military Fire Service soldiers who arrived at the scene used a hydraulic spreader to free the injured man and evacuate him from the danger zone.
“Both the tank crew evacuation and the removal of the injured driver went very smoothly. We were unable to demonstrate how quickly a military tent can burn. Heavy rain prevented us from doing so. It is a shame, because such a fire develops very quickly,” said Iwona Kowal, fire protection inspector at 10BKPanc. “I believe that the demonstration of cooperation between firefighters and medical rescuers showed the services’ high level of efficiency in this area.”
(information: Katarzyna Przepióra/ii)