Fuel tanker fire drill was months in the making

A training exercise to simulate a fuel tanker catching fire was the culmination of months of work, Guernsey's emergency services have said.

Operation Vulcan was led by Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service, on North Side, in the Vale, and saw a stretch of Castle Road closed off to the public on Wednesday.

The aim was for teams to respond to the drill as if it was real so they could "do the best job possible" when a true emergency happens.

Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service said the mission was to make sure their response was ready for a major emergency and to remember "communication is key".

"There's a lot of work that goes into this and it has been months in the making," said Matthew Roger, Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service's exercise director.

"It's taken a lot of collaborative work with other emergency services and looking to our colleagues in the UK and Jersey.

"We liaise with those, consult with them, and practise to ultimately test ourselves with these exercises."

Roger added the service had to act while ensuring the rest of the island was looked after.

"A lot of the time it's going to come down to communication, and the interpretation of the initial call that comes in.

"Then it's about our ability to safely continue while maintaining fire cover for the rest of the island and make sure that all our plans work as expected."

He said: "Communication is key in pulling everyone together to operate as an effective team. Those are skills that are taught but not practised often enough in a way that allows for reflection."

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