A COMPLICATED rescue from deep within the structure of the Cleddau Bridge was hailed a success last Wednesday, June 27.

Fortunately the ‘rescue’ of a workman trapped with spinal injuries was an exercise rather than a dramatic mercy mission.

Western Telegraph:

Some 30 firefighters from Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven took part in the June 27 morning exercise.

The staged rescue, which lasted just over an hour, followed a request from Pembrokeshire County Council.

Western Telegraph:

Watch Manager Chris Lawrence said: “The inside sections run all the way from Pembroke Dock to Burton, you can actually walk the whole of the underneath section.

“The exercise was put together by myself and the head engineer, to test their safe systems at work and also to test my systems for work; the crews rescuing a workman trapped with spinal injuries under the bridge.

“We wanted to know how easy it was for stretchers and also for our awareness.

“It’s something out of the ordinary; there was an incident in the bridge about 20 years ago.”

Western Telegraph:

For the exercise, a member of the firefighter crew was made up as if he had spinal injuries, before the delicate work of immobilising the ‘casualty’ and removing him from the inside of the bridge.

The rescue along the internal walkways, and a lowering of the stretcher-bound man 12 feet to the ground, where an ambulance awaited, was completed in less than an hour.

Western Telegraph:

“It’s quite complicated,” said Chris. “It wasn’t bad actually, we did it to test how long it would take us; it’s all for learning.”

Western Telegraph:

“When you drive over the bridge you don’t realise what’s underneath; there’s a lot of engineering inside there.”

Western Telegraph:

The crews suffered sweltering conditions on the day, but were given a chance to cool off thanks to donations of food and drinks from Pembroke Dock’s McDonald’s fast food restaurant.

PICTURES: Martin Cavaney.