Members of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service spent four days in training with support from the army at Carver Barracks.
For Tower Descent 21, the fire service's Urban Search and Rescue team lowered members of the army's 1 Troop 15 Field Squadron, 35 Engineer Regiment into the search area and retrieved them. A second search task took place in a confined space filled with water.
Rope supervisors lowered soldiers backwards over a tower before helping them swing upside down. The final activity was a medical emergency in a confined space.
The exercise took place at both Carver Barracks in Wimbish and at USAR’s station in Lexden, Colchester.
ECFRS’s crew manager Antony Clement said: “One of the highlights was the feedback I received from both services.
"Our crews talked about the soldiers’ discipline, respect and trust their officers’ orders and how they carry out their tasks with 100 percent commitment regardless of how challenging it seems.
“The army personnel didn’t realise how diverse our specialist roles are, how skilled and knowledgeable the USAR technicians are and how we work as a team in such a dedicated and professional way.
“Working with other organisations is very much in the public’s interest, both financially and for the end result.
“All of our emergency services and the Army play a vital role in keeping people safe, and helping each other train and develop is a positive opportunity.”
He added: “USAR and 1 Troop do a similar role in that we both search, one for casualties and the other for explosives, ammunition and drugs.”
The exercise was able to go ahead as Covid-19 risk assessments and procedures were followed.
ECFRS’s station manager Scott Meekings said: “This was an excellent opportunity to highlight how well civil authorities and the military can support and work alongside one another.
“The success of this exercise will allow for future opportunities with other fire and rescue service capabilities and to potentially test our response to major incidents.”
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