College students made-up with success of training exercise

STUDENTS from Rotherham College were caught up in a major disaster – but there’s no need to panic.

The talented team were helping with Britain’s largest ever disaster training exercise for London Fire Brigade.

Rotherham College’s media make-up department were given the challenge of recreating lacerations, amputations, bruises and other injuries to help emergency services staff test their skills.

In the four-day disaster simulation, which took place in February, firefighters, police and ambulance personnel from across London were given a scenario to train in based around a building collapsing onto a tube station in the capital.

In order to create the most realistic environment possible, an entire tube station was recreated and then crushed in a disused power station close to the Dartford river crossing.

The students from the college had to prepare more than 1,200 casualties who were assessed for accuracy by medical professionals.

Rotherham College HND specialist make-up student Terrie Higgins was invited by a friend who works for the London Fire Brigade Health and Safety department to take part and she thought her fellow students could benefit from the unusual and challenging experience.

She said: “We worked on amputees, we did cuts and bruises, we worked with silicone and film and TV products, for special effects. It’s been a challenge but it’s been brilliant.

“It’s been an amazing experience.”

Rotherham College was the only further education provider asked to take part in the exercise to support a professional casualty events company in preparing the actors and general public that volunteered to help make the occasion feel as realistic as possible.

Kelly Carr, curriculum leader for media make-up, said: “We’re so proud of our students. This exercise has actually got them well-rehearsed for going out into the industry.

“They are very good time managers and they can work under pressure so dealing with those numbers of causalities was a challenge but they did it brilliantly.

“The paramedics and emergency services congratulated them on how well they did.”