Yesterday's demonstration gets underway after being delayed by a 999 call to a road traffic collision.

1 September 2008

Firefighters were about to give a road safety demonstration to an open day crowd in Milton Keynes yesterday when they were called away - to a car crash.

Two crews from Great Holm Fire Station were getting ready to start an extrication, in which they use hydraulic equipment to release people trapped in vehicles after road traffic collisions, when they climbed back into their fire engines and drove off on blue lights and two-tone sirens.

Deputy community safety manager Paul McShane, who was about to start a running commentary on the display at the Safety Centre in Kiln Farm, announced that they had been called to a real road traffic collision.

One man was injured in the crash, which involved two cars. It happened at the junction of Redwood Gate and Chaffron Way in Shenley Lodge.

The crews returned after helping at the scene and carried out the demonstration at 3pm, half an hour later than planned.

Paul said: "Firefighters constantly train for real-life eventualities like this, and these open day demonstrations are part of that process, as well as an opportunity to pass on road safety messages. It was quite a coincidence, but it underlined just how important their training is."

There's another chance to see an extrication display this coming Saturday (6 September) at Bletchley Fire Station's open day in Sherwood Drive.