Students join forces with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue

Public Services students from Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) today assisted Staffordshire Fire and Rescue in a terrorism decontamination drill. 

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue will undertook the practical ‘drill’ exercise, with the students’ assistance on today, in order to provide its officers with up-to-date training and realistic experience in using decontamination equipment.

The College’s visitor car park was transformed and used as the dummy setting for a public place where a terrorist contamination incident has occurred. The exercise will gave the BTEC Public Services students first-hand experience of the complex work undertaken by the Uniformed Services as they play the role of members of the public affected.

Once the drill commenced at approximately 10.30am, students were contaminated with talcum powder then required to get changed into orange robes and pass through a warm shower in a decontamination tent, before eventually being returned with their belongings.

Jill Salt, Public Services Lecturer at the College said “The students are very excited about participating in the event and they'll gain valuable first hand experience of the work of the firefighters in situations like these. The College have outstanding links with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue and I’m very grateful to for their continued support."

Check out our Decontamination photo album on Facebook by clicking here. 

To find out more about studying the BTEC in Public Services at NULC, visit www.nulc.ac.uk or call the Information Centre on 01782 254254.