Rescuers train Kenyan firefighters (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Rescuers train Kenyan firefighters

5:00pm Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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A SPECIALIST rescue team from Hampshire helped train new firefighters in Kenya and fitted their fire station with a new kitchen.

Four firefighters from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR), based in Eastleigh, travelled to the Thika region of Kenya, which is about 25 miles from Nairobi, the nation’s capital.

During their ten-day stay, the firefighters taught the 31 personnel at the Thika fire station, including six new recruits, how to increase their skills on ladders, water management and rescue equipment.

They also helped the personnel to install a new kitchen, supplied by the Howdens Joinery Company in Eastleigh.

USAR member Denise Knight said: “By the end of the ten days, everyone was absolutely exhausted, but the crews kept coming in on their days off for extra training or to help with the station alterations. Their dedication was humbling so we were determined to give them 100 per cent of our time.”

The USAR team specialises in collapsed structure search and rescue, and has travelled to major disaster sites around the world.

The team first helped the fire station in Thika in October last year, when it donated an end-of-service Volvo appliance and a container of associated equipment.

The team raised money for the trip by holding events in Hedge End and Eastleigh.