Bideford Bay at the Ready in Case of Marine Pollution Incident

Officers from

Torridge District Council have taken part in a Coastal Pollution

training exercise run by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The

two day Beach Master course provided officers with the necessary skills

and training to help them manage in the event of a coastal pollution

incident occurring off the North Devon coast.

After day

one in the classroom, the learning was put into practice on day two as

the trainees had to don waterproofs and wellies and wade into the mud

and the waters of the River Torridge in a practical exercise simulating

a major oil spill in the estuary. Officers from partner agencies

including Devon County Council, North Devon Council, East Devon

Council, Plymouth City Council, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue

Service, Somerset County Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay

Council and North Devon Coast & Countryside Service also learnt

about shoreline protection, health and safety, shoreline clean up

operations and the management of oily waste.

Torridge’s

lead member for Public Protection and Health and Safety, Cllr Andrew

Saywell said, “It was a very worthwhile exercise and a great example of

multi-agency working. Hopefully none of the officers will ever have to

do this for real, but at least now if they do they will be well

equipped to handle such an emergency.”