Last week, members of Londonderry Fire Department were able to use the Lindenmeyr Munroe facility at 34B Londonderry Road to train and refresh their skills for confined space rescue.
The Firefighters participated in advanced rescue scenarios at an actual confined space, which was an empty 100,000-gallon water tank. They practiced performing rescues from the tank by setting up retrieval systems, and rope rescue systems to bring the victim to safety. The Londonderry Fire department was thankful for the use of this confined space. These technical rescue skills will deminish if not practiced throughout the year.
Each year, industrial workers are injured or killed as a result of working in confined spaces. An estimated 60 percent of the fatalities have been deaths that occur during a rescue. Oftentimes, a person attempts to rescue their coworker without the proper training and then gets caught them selves. When workers enter a confined spaces they must receive training, preparation, and awareness of the hazards associated with such work are essential to a person’s safety.
Working in confined spaces presents many challenges such as restricted movement, hazardous atmospheres, material that could engulf you, a configuration of equipment and machines which could trap or asphyxiate you, and other potential safety and health hazards like unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or temperature extremes.
Examples of confined spaces include underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, manholes, pits, silos and pipelines. There are many such hazards in the town of Londonderry because of the town’s many industrial facilities.