MK College students learn real-world skills in major incident exercise with emergency services.
Learners from Milton Keynes College joined in with a major incident training exercise held at the College’s Bletchley campus. They had the invaluable opportunity to shadow and learn from the emergency services and even be part of the action in a mock car accident rescue.
Thames Valley Police, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service and Acute Ambulance & Medical Services joined forces for the simulation in the car park which even involved cutting the roof off a car.
20 of the College’s Uniformed Public Services students watched on, with each learner shadowing the service they want to join after college, while . 18 others volunteered to be “casualties” in the exercise. Visual effects students from Aylesbury College even came along on the day to apply fake injuries and wounds to the pretend injured.
Pete Goodwin, Course Team Leader for Uniformed Public Services at Milton Keynes College, commented on the day: “What a fantastic exercise! Our learners were able to see first hand just how much teamwork, collaboration and skill goes into supporting a major incident like this and hear directly from the emergency service personnel exactly how they approach major incidents.
“We’re so grateful to everyone from Thames Valley Police, Bucks Fire Department and Acute Ambulance & Medical Services for providing our learners with a truly unique experience that will be invaluable for them, both during the rest of their studies at the College and when they progress into their chosen careers. I’d also like to say a huge thank you to the staff and students from Aylesbury College who helped to make the incident feel as realistic as possible.”
Kieren Gibson, Chief Executive Officer of Acute Ambulance and Medical Services, commented: “It was great to demonstrate to the students how the emergency services come together and collaborate in such a professional way, and to show how to smoothly and effectively we all deal with these kinds of situations. It was a pleasure to be a part of the exercise, and we hope the students went away with a great learning experience”.
Watch Commander Lee Bloom from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue, Operational Learning and Assurance team commented: “This was a great opportunity to give the students the chance, to see what is involved in resolving an operational incident and how the emergency services work together. Although this was a simulation, the special effects provided by the students from Aylesbury College were excellent and it made the incident feel realistic, for the crews involved and the observing students. Collaborative opportunities like this training exercise prepare our team for when they do need to respond to real incidents, allowing us to continue to make a difference together in our community”
Police Sergeant Steve Holmes from Thames Valley Police added: “On behalf of Thames Valley Police, I want to say a huge thank you to the staff of MK College and all the students for their excellent engagement for what turned out to be an excellent day. It was a fantastic opportunity for TVP to work in collaboration with Bucks Fire & SCAS to show case our skills when dealing with a major incident. I hope this gave the students an insight on how each individual service utilises their training, equipment and partnership working. Thank you to all who made the event possible, and we look forward to future events”.
Student, Freya Williams said, “I was the casualty that was being cut out of the car; I had a realistic broken leg with neck and spinal pain. The fire service cut me out and put me onto a spinal board. They had to take the roof off to get me out. I was happy that they were reassuring me on about what was going on and what they were going to do next.
Another student, Finley Marchant added, “We were able to get an up close, detailed look, into how the different services, respond, and work together in an emergency incident. Me and a few other members of my class with the dream of joining the Fire Service, were able to watch the incident close up, alongside a firefighter, who was constantly updating us on what the firefighters were doing. We even got a tour inside and around the Fire Engine, looking at lots of the gear they have onboard. It was such an amazing opportunity and experience to be part of, and has further inspired my passion of joining the Fire Service.”
To find out more about Public Services at MK College, visit Public Services Intermediate - MK College
