First training session new MIRG-teams

The first week of June the first new Belgian MIRG-team started its training. Place of handling: the simulator of the Calais fire service. The programme focused on the embarkation procedure. The procedures were explained one step at a time, both in theory and in practice. The exercises were built up during the week, repeating all the steps gone through so far and adding the new one at the end. The training ended with a larger exercise where the men had to fight a real on board fire.

Mike Eyckmans was one of the participants. ‘We’ve had a very pleasant week. Men from the three different Belgian fire services, from Antwerp, Beveren and Ghent, came together for the first time in this MIRG team. It seemed though as if we had worked together for years! The exercises went really well. The course as a whole was absolutly interesting and instructive. A promising start of the ETE-programme and the Belgian MIRG team!’

MIRG EX is an international joint partnership. Safety Region Zeeland (NL), which brings together crisis management, fire fighters and medical assistance, is lead partner. The other partners in the project are: the Fire Brigades of Antwerp, Beveren and Ghent (BE). These brigades are linked to important international ports, that accommodate large chemical production plants. Being able to effectively fight fires on board ships is simply essential. In addition to the fire brigades, the Federal Organisation of Public Civil Assistance in Brugge, the Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services-Shipping Assistance Division and the Maatschappij van de Brugse Zeehaven nv (Zeebrugge Port Authority) are partners in the MIRG-EX project. The French Service départemental d’incendie et de secours de Pas-de-Calais and the English Kent Fire and Rescue Service complete the partnership. Both are confronted with heavy traffic on the Channel and the North Sea. An incident may be just around the corner, but this doesn’t mean it can be easily reached let alone be dealt with. Working with similar teams on both shores, reduces will help to reduce response time.