Cornwall County Fire Brigade has located it's FBT facility on the Royal Air Force base of St.Mawgan, near Newquay, on the North Cornwall coast. The site was introduced in 1996 after links with Sando College in Sweden were established. The system is purely carbonaceous, although it is intended to add a small LPG facility in the future. The site consists of 'Attack' / 'Window' / 'Demonstration' and 'Tactical' units. All constructed from ISO shipping containers.



The 'Attack' unit is used to show the principals of 'Flashover' and students enter the unit and practice the skills of branch operation after being instructed in the other units.



The 'Demonstration' unit is a 'shortened ISO with a raised 'theatre' area at the end. Here the students see the development of fire and this is the first unit used to be able to demonstrate the principals of fire behaviour. The instructors demonstrate how to control the effects of 'pyrolisation' with good branch techniques and the use of 'pulsed' sprays



The 'Window' container is a 20' cut down ISO and is used to demonstrate Flashover and Backdraught. The students view this phenomena from outside and at no time enter this container. This provides a very real picture of the potential for disaster for BA crews, etc, etc.



All these units are fuelled by chipboard secured side, top and rear. This then provides controllable, standardised loading at the same time clearly demonstrating the effects of pyrolisation and gives an opportunity to fully control the development of the fire therefore meeting all risk assessments as laid down for each of the individual units.



The 'Tactical' Unit comprises of four containers giving three levels for comprehensive Breathing Apparatus training. The addition of a second 'Attack' container on the end of the Tactical unit further enhances it's uses. This unit continues to be developed.

The Brigade continues to develop it's Fire Behaviour Training site and this year research is being undertaken in to the role of Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) and its link with FBT.

Cornwall County Fire Brigade have recently taken delivery of a new container to enhance the FBT site at RAF St.Mawgan....however this one is not for burning! A standard 40' steel ISO container has been designed by the instructors and converted by CCA Containers into a classroom. Now located next to an existing ISO container converted into a BA service room and store, this classroom improves and expands the facility and hopefully will take the rigours of the winter Atlantic weather, which previous structures have failed to do.