Volunteers applauded by the States of Alderney

Sunday 31 July 2022

Alderney’s volunteer firefighters recently completed a rope rescue course and dealt with a gorse fire near Fort Tourgis for which the States of Alderney is giving them a vote of thanks.

The firefighters took part in a five-day Rope Rescue and Fall Protection Equipment Inspector training course delivered by Rob Tortoishell of Specialist Access and Rescue Products Ltd.

Rope rescue techniques are essential in Alderney given its dangerous cliff faces. The course saw the volunteers work on the rock faces adjacent to the Lighthouse and at Telegraph Bay. 

Fall Protection Equipment Inspector training enables crew to qualify as competent persons with the skills required to undertake inspections, record the results, and for the maintenance and of equipment. 

Pictured: The fire was caused by extraordinarily high-temperatures. 

Last week, Alderney Fire Brigade was called to reports of smoke and smouldering at the site of an earlier fire behind Fort Tourgis, which they had previously extinguished in a nine-hour operation. 

On arrival, crews found an area of gorse had re-ignited. They deployed one ‘attack line’ to extinguish the fire and remained at the site for just over one hour to continue dampening the area. 

Crews have been visiting the site daily since the original fire and dampening the area as it is known this type of fire can burn underground for days before reigniting on the surface. 

Boyd Kelly, Chairman of the General Services Committee, proposed the vote of thanks - which was unanimously agreed, for the Brigade’s swift response to the fire, undertaking the training course, and to the volunteers who subsequently helped to clear Fort Tourgis.