SCOUTS from 8th Farnham joined other Scouts, Explorer Scouts and Police Cadets from Surrey and Hampshire at the recent Bentley Copse Emergency Services weekend.

The leaders from Hounslow Police Cadets who are police officers in the Met Police force came down and ran a scenario which was based on a real-life issue.

The group was split up into police officers and suspects as well as witnesses and a victim. The scenario took them through the issue which started at school, being arrested after a fight, going through the processes of police custody all the way to court.

During the process each step was explained making the session fun as well as thought provoking.

Members from various search and rescue teams took a team through a real-life search in the woods which resulted in finding a casualty and returning them back to base on a stretcher.

The group was shown how to search an area and also some tips on how local S&R teams operate to find a missing person.

Paramedics from Medical Support Services ran session teaching the groups CPR and how to use an AED. These skills were also to be used later on in the weekend.

Ex-members of London Fire Brigade and current retained members of Surrey Fire & Rescue came and ran two activities which showed the groups some of the work that the fire service undertakes in emergencies.

Half the team were shown how to unroll and connect a fire hose and then roll it back up, finishing with a race, while the other half had a go and cutting a vehicle up. 

The Scouts had Noel Clark to thank for providing one of the fire engines to make this session possible.

On the Saturday evening, they were told that a car thief had crashed into another car and a minibus, one team had to deal with the casualty, while another team extinguished the car fire (this was done by using fire extinguishers in a controlled area).

Another team went through the site’s caving complex which was described as a collapsed building where they had to find the passenger of the stolen car and retrieve him and the last group had to find the drive who was drunk and had ran off in the woods. All the teams got to experience all these bases.

Neil Wibberley, a member of the Bentley Copse service team, said: “Thanks go to all the volunteers who provided equipment and their time to make this weekend possible.

“The weekend was a great success, starting with many positive comments from the parents and kids as they drove in to when they left on the Sunday.

“They had the opportunity to try things they would never get to do unless they were a fire, police officer or a paramedic as well learning valuable skills for emergency situations.”

Faye, a 16-year-old Police Cadet from Surrey, said: “I liked the night search and rescue exercise because it was exciting and I learnt new skills.”

Ben, aged 13 and a Scout from Surrey, added: “I was expecting more talking but it was fun and hands on.”

Rachael, also aged 13 and a Scout from Surrey, said “The search and rescue at night was fun because you had to use more of your senses than in the daytime.”