West Sussex county councillors have commended fire and rescue personnel for their professionalism and level of readiness during a recent inspection of emergency response facilities.

The delegation visited Platinum House, the headquarters of West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, on Tuesday, August 18.

The assessment coincided with a prolonged period of warm, dry conditions that have contributed to increased outdoor fire incidents and unprecedented wildfire activity throughout the United Kingdom.

Councillor Tracie Bangert, who serves as Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, observed that the engagement provided valuable insight into the service’s capabilities.

She noted that the facilities and training programmes demonstrated the preparedness of operational staff during what has been an exceptionally demanding timeframe for frontline personnel.

The visiting group expressed admiration for the standard of resources and the breadth of training opportunities available to firefighters.

The representatives were granted access to the live fire training complex, where they observed the controlled environments designed to simulate actual emergency conditions.

Additionally, they explored the immersive incident command training suite, which enables crews to develop decision-making abilities through realistic emergency scenarios.

The inspection party also utilized the aerial ladder platform, gaining firsthand experience of the elevated position from which operations are coordinated and receiving an understanding of the technical proficiency required to operate such specialized apparatus.