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A station fire exercise

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This week at Macquarie Island: 3 February 2012

On Wednesday 25^th January a fire drill and training exercise took place which involved all personnel on station on the day. The importance of such drills cannot be underestimated due to the very realistic and serious threat that a fire on station would pose.

It began late morning with the fire drill sounding and expeditioners assembling outside the fire hut for the all important muster (roll call). An indignant elephant seal, annoyed at being disturbed from his sleep in the fire hut doorway also attended the muster, intent on taking a piece out of Danny.

Following roll call it was determined that one individual was missing in action. Subsequently search teams were dispatched to conduct thorough searches of likely locations for the missing person.

The drama scaled up when it was revealed in the scenario that a fire had been detected. Fire teams sprang into action, rolling out hoses and connecting them to standpipes, awaiting the order to 'pump full steam'.

Surprises were in store for many on the fire teams who grappled with a water supply with a heavy build-up of sand. Others did battle with water supplies which refused to turn off.

In the end, 'missing in action' offender Trevor was located safe and well, and Hassellborough house was saved.

In all seriousness, a number of valuable lessons were learned on the day – from the basics of everyone getting to know the location of firefighting equipment, to ironing out communication issues, as well as knowing which way the water supply is turned on versus off…