Civil Defence Longford Argo 8×8 Amphibious All-Terrain Vehicle Training

23 November 2016

Longford County Civil Defence Officer, Seamus Kiernan, and four of his volunteers attended Terrafirma Training’s (TFT) purpose-built training centre at their base at Millbrook Off Road Centre, Kilkea, near Castledermot, Co Kildare recently to undergo training on a vital new piece of rescue equipment in the form of an 8×8 amphibious all-terrain vehicle (Argo).

A full day’s training on the Argo saw the trainees tackling all kinds of terrain and with rain the previous night, the conditions were perfect to simulate the kind of conditions that our brave emergency service volunteers may encounter.   An ongoing assessment, coupled with question and answer sessions, was carried out by TFT instructors throughout the day to ascertain that all important points had been understood.

The day’s training culminated in a training scenario being set up where one of TFT’s instructor’s in a TFT 4×4 off road vehicle drove a route through boggy ground and subsequently got the vehicle stuck up to its doors in mud.  The 4×4 had to be winched out leaving deep tyres marks in the ground.  One of the Civil Defence trainees, along with a TFT instructor, drove the same route safely and successfully leaving very few marks on the same ground.  Copious amounts of bragging rights were issued to the Civil Defence driver and this more than capable and, more to the point, safe piece of equipment.  A truly fit for purpose vehicle.

CDO Seamus Kiernan and his men all embraced the course, passing the course with flying colours.  The day ended with a course critique from the trainees, all agreeing that the course met their expectations and ticked all the right boxes.  TFT were very impressed with the professionalism of all Civil Defence personnel.

 

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