Exercise Denny - Beachmaster Training 18th September 2007
Exercise Denny was the second day of a two day Beachmaster training course. Beachmasters take charge of a section of coast during pollution incidents and are responsible for a gang of staff who either try to protect the coast against pollution after an incident, or undertake appropriate clean up operations if the worst does occur. Their work is coordinated in a facility known as a Shoreline Response Centre.
Participants in this training were our Lancaster City Council officers from City Council Direct Services at White Lund together with colleagues from Blackpool, Wyre, Fylde and West Lancashire councils and a number of Fire-fighters, Coastguards and Environment Agency staff.
As part of the exercise they had to deploy shore sealing booms, supplied by D. V. Howells who are contracted to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to deal with coastal pollution incidents. These 20m booms are linked together intended to form a channel to funnel incoming pollution down to a point where it can be pumped into containers and safely disposed of.
This is very heavy manual work, often undertaken in appalling weather conditions, and great emphasis was placed during the training on Health & Safety and the need to consider the welfare of any staff deployed on this type of duty. The pictures show some of the equipment being deployed by the ’students’ .
As would be the case in a real life incident catering on the foreshore was supplied by the Salvation Army mobile kitchen who provided hot food for all the students.
Exercise Denny was a useful opportunity for the various councils to join together and learn about the various incidents that might occur and the methods and equipment available to deal with them. We all hope such an incident does not occur but it is important to be prepared and this exercise greatly assisted that process.