Twelve members of the CIRO who also belong to the RDCTRT (Red Deer County’s Technical Rescue Task Force - Red Deer, AB) participated in the World Rescue Challenge and Conference in London, England at the ExCel Centre on October 18 to 20, 2012.
This free, spectator-friendly event allowed firefighters and rescue specialists from around the globe to compete in high adrenaline team challenges and demonstrations showcasing just what it means to deal with emergencies in the 21st century. The event also included an exhibition, demonstrations and a conference where industry experts shared experiences and case studies, and explored current issues. The group consisting in 16 representatives from the RDCTRT put on a show in the competition, which was highlighted with an elaborate Rope Rescue display.
The Technical Rescue Team also got to spend specialized training time with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the London Fire Brigade. Their training focus was on techniques in Confined Spaces, Structural Collapse, Rope Rescue, Technical Search, Vehicle Extrication, Deployment Activities, and Emergency Planning.
“We first met these rescue groups from the UK in October of 2011 at the Disaster City training complex in College Station, Texas.” shared Ric Henderson, Red Deer County Assistant Manager and Director of Community and Protective Services, “We had gone through intensive disaster response training with these individuals, and it was a very kind gesture to be invited to participate in further training with them a year later, and to show off our skills in their World Rescue Challenge. Our team gained a lot from this experience”.
The team expects to attend next year WRC 2013 in Florida, USA and continuing upgrading their rescue skills and experience in diverse rescue specialties.
