Road safety exercise drives home message

There were 120 people in attendance as a multi-agency exercise was held at Rothesay Joint Campus last week to educate pupils on road safety.

The exercise held on Tuesday, October 2, had Police Scotland, the Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service present.

PC Alicia Hardie explained more about the purpose of the mult-agency exercise.

She said: “The exercise was aimed at fourth to sixth year pupils to educate them on road safety and to highlight possible consequences of road traffic collisions.

Multi Agency exercise at Rothesay Joint Campus on October 2. Photo credit: the Bute Photographical Society.

“It highlighted the skills each service provides, how the services use these skills to work together and the importance of partnership working at a major incident.

“The exercise was presented as a two car RTC with three casualties, one fatal, one injured passenger presenting with possible spinal injuries and one walking wounded, who was a driver under the influence of alcohol.”

To hammer home the importance of road safety the demonstration was made as real as possible.

PC Hardie said: “The emergency services all worked together to safely extract the injured passenger, preserve the dignity of the deceased and carry out the drink drive procedure on the driver of one of the vehicles.

Multi Agency exercise at Rothesay Joint Campus on October 2. Photo credit: the Bute Photographical Society.

“In order to safely remove the injured casualty, who was showing signs of a spinal injury, the passenger doors and the passenger beam were safely removed from the vehicle before cutting the back of the seat away and slowly lowering him onto a spinal board.

“Police then demonstrated the drink driving procedure to the audience before arresting and handcuffing the driver.”

As well as the practical demonstration, pupils were also able to ask questions of the emergency services in attendance.

PC Hardie added: “Throughout the exercise there was a member of Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on hand to explain the exercise in real time and answer any questions that the audience had.

Multi Agency exercise at Rothesay Joint Campus on October 2. Photo credit: the Bute Photographical Society.

“At the end of the exercise there was a quick question and answer session for any further questions.”

Reflecting on the day PC Hardie said: “Police would like to thank all who gave up their free time to help and be involved with the exercise. Specifically the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Ambulance Service, Paul McCabe and Jim Ferguson from the council, Jim McLaughlin, the Bute Photographical Society, Emma Flanagan and Rothesay Joint Campus.”