Freising: First large-scale exercise at THW in two years - 50 emergency services pitched in
Created: 05/24/2022, 13:12
By: Lena Hepting
THW volunteers provide first aid to an injured person on a scaffold.
© THW Freising
After two years, the THW volunteers were able to carry out another large-scale exercise.
And with an exciting scenario.
For two years, the
voluntary THW volunteers
had to put up with major restrictions in practice and were only able to carry out the
training
in groups .
All the stronger now is the participation in the first
major post-corona exercise
of the entire
local association
, for which the organizers had come up with a challenging and exciting scenario.
Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: Use on the industrial site
In an assumed major damage event, the THW Freising was assigned an industrial site that had to be processed by the alerted THW Freising forces.
The platoon team of the 1st technical platoon, led by platoon leader Marco Eisenmann, and the unmanned aerial vehicle troop (Tr UL) who arrived first, first used the drones to get an overview of the situation over the extensive area of damage.
Since the assumed damage area was within the control area of Munich Airport, the drone troop contacted air traffic control before take-off and was in constant contact with the tower throughout the reconnaissance flights, which provided information on current flight movements and defined the maximum flight altitudes.
This standard exchange between the THW drone squad and air traffic control is part of the standard procedure of the UL squad in the vicinity of airports and especially in the area of Munich Airport.
Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: rescuing helpless people on a scaffolding tower
The first helpless people on a scaffolding tower were discovered by the drones of the UL squad.
The Emergency Supply and Emergency Repair (FGr. N) specialist group was commissioned to save this.
The emergency services gained access to the injured persons using height safety equipment.
During the first aid by THW paramedics, it was determined that the injuries were so serious that a careful rescue with the basket stretcher was necessary.
The dragging basket stretcher was picked up with the mobile crane of the bridge construction specialist group (FGr. BrB) and set down safely and gently on the ground.
Aerial view of a person in the grinding basket being transported away from the scaffolding using a THW crane.
© THW Freising
While the rescue measures on the scaffolding tower were still ongoing, the drone cleared up another person who had had an accident.
This stuck up to the head in a sand funnel.
The salvage group was therefore immediately commissioned by the platoon to rescue the person.
The 9 emergency services had to use their entire know-how in the field of civil engineering accidents and save the person.
For this purpose, a shoring was erected with scaffolding wood, which protected the person from standing behind while they could be carefully dug out and freed by the emergency services.
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Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: the water damage specialist group was deployed
The water damage/pumps specialist group had to set up a water supply over long distances with a 15,000 liter buffer tank.
Such water transport routes over long distances are required for the extinguishing water supply of the fire brigade or the pumping of bodies of water.
The pump capacity of 5000 l/min used for this water transport.
had to be supported with the multi-purpose boat and the help of the specialist group bridge construction due to the silted subsoil in the lake from which the water was taken.
The pumps were lowered into the water from the boat and were able to suck up clean water far enough above the silt.
The work platform of the work boat proved its worth here.
In order to enable the arrival and departure to and from the site, the forces of the bridge assembly also laid the mobile roadway elements of the local association.
These can weigh up to 130 tons.
per m² carry and fasten provisional paths and areas.
Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: search for missing persons was successful
At the same time, a search for missing persons was successfully carried out with the drones, during which the coordination and consultation with the search teams on the ground was practiced.
At the same time, the UL squad used the plotter installed on the squad's armored personnel carrier to create a DIN A1-sized map for the command center of the platoon squad. A catering and rest area for 50 people was set up to supply the deployed forces.
The catering team of the local association provided the excellent food in the tried and tested way, and the OV's own hygiene container ensured hygienic conditions.
Two THW volunteers lead a previously missing person out of the area.
In this scenario, the interaction and, above all, the coordination of the drone with its thermal imaging camera and the ability to search large areas and the use of emergency services on the ground were practiced.
© THW Freising
After the well-deserved lunch break, which, contrary to the reality of such operations, could be taken together here, another person had to be rescued from the third floor of the crushing plant.
A particular challenge was that access was only possible via ladders.
During the investigation, it was also found that the person had suffered serious injuries from being impaled when he fell into a gravel silo by a two-metre-long iron bar.
After the first aid by paramedics and the stabilization of the iron bar, it first had to be shortened accordingly with equipment to ensure transportability.
The rescue was then carried out using a descender
Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: Rescue from a ten meter deep shaft
The rescue group meanwhile had to deal with two people who had fallen into a ten meter deep shaft.
Since a white mist escaped through the shaft, which was also the only way of access, the procedure had to be carried out using respiratory protection.
After exploring the bottom of the shaft, appropriate valves were found with which the leak could be shut off.
After the shaft had been ventilated, the people could be rescued using the Rollgliss device.
The last scenario called for the CBRN forces of the local branch, which are provided from all specialist groups.
The platoon received a report of two barrels with dangerous goods stickers that were about to expire.
The first responders to arrive equipped themselves with protective clothing and heavy respiratory protection, proceeded with the multi-gas detector and handed over the dangerous goods numbers to the platoon, who identified the substance and reported back to the emergency services about the necessary procedures and protective measures.
Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: emergency services are more than satisfied
One barrel was secured by the emergency services by tightening a leaking screw connection, the second barrel was so damaged that it had to be taken to a chemical overflow barrel.
The truck-mounted crane was then requested to salvage the two barrels.
The operation ended with the decontamination of the forces at the decontamination site. Both the exercise management and the forces were more than satisfied on the evening after the end of the exercise.
Rescue of a barrel with hazardous substance by the CBRN task forces of THW Freising wearing heavy respiratory protection © THW Freising
The exercise provided important insights for everyone involved and at the same time showed the very high level of training of the voluntary THW volunteers in Freising.
But points were also identified where the training in the local branch needs to be deepened and the deployment tactics need to be adapted.
Finding out where improvements are necessary is even more important for maintaining and expanding the level of performance and training in the local association and thus the ability to work through all tasks professionally.
Large-scale exercise at THW Freising: Time investment is worthwhile for good training
The cleaning of the vehicles and equipment used as well as the respiratory protection equipment demanded a lot of time and effort from the emergency services in the evening and on the following Sunday.
Time well invested in maintaining and improving the high level of education in the local branch.
The THW Freising offers interested citizens the opportunity to get an idea of the equipment and performance of the THW Freising on Saturday, July 2nd from 10 a.m. in the Freising Luitpoldanlage at the Day of the THW Freising.