Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 13/05/2008 16:23

Firefighters from Truro Fire Station held a Road Traffic Accident Awareness day on Monday 12th May to teach a group of 16 and 17 year olds the dangers of reckless driving.

Green Watch’s Richy Simpson organised the workshop, inviting 30 students from Truro College’s Public Services course. Richy said, “We wanted to start running RTA Awareness courses out of Truro because we so often come across young people at the scenes of accidents. I hope that the students will have come away from today with an appreciation of the roads and how dangerous driving can be. We aim to teach them that driving recklessly costs lives – potentially theirs.”

The students were first of all taken through a presentation of what can happen in a bad car accident and shown graphic images of real injuries received in such incidences.

The students then observed a mock crash site, where four of the pupils were kitted out in safety gear and put into the car in order to be ‘rescued’ by the firefighters. This included two of the doors, the windscreens and the roof being removed from the car whilst they were in it using hydraulic cutting equipment known as CRE – Crash Rescue Equipment.

Zoe Lea who was one of the passengers said, “It was weird being in the car while it was being cut, there were a lot of bumps and bangs which was quite scary. I definitely wouldn’t want to be cut out of a car for real!”

Public Services Course Co-ordinator Louise Coley commented on the day, “We were pleased to be invited to the workshop because it is an opportunity for students to understand the importance of safe driving, especially in the light of the number of fatalities amongst young people. Not only that, but many of the students here hope to join the emergency services after they finish the course so this was a useful insight into what they will have to deal with in their line of work.”

Chief Fire Officer Matt Littmoden added, “The RTA Awareness day at Truro is another example of the Brigade’s commitment to supporting the wider community and using our experience to help influence young people in particular and hopefully make them safer and more responsible in their everyday lives.”

Pics show firefighters cutting students from the mock crash site.

Hannah Rees
Communications Officer
Cornwall County Council
Tel: 01872 322785
Mob: 07973 497207
hrees@cornwall.gov.uk

New County Hall, Truro TR1 3AY
Media news releases at: www.cornwall.gov.uk

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