Annual Festival of Rescue kicks off in Lincolnshire

NFCC representatives have been in Lincolnshire this week to support and cheer on participants in the annual UK Rescue Organisation’s (UKRO) Festival of Rescue.

The festival, this year hosted by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, sees teams of firefighters from across the UK (plus three international teams) competing in five specialist rescue disciplines: vehicle extrication, rope, water and urban search and rescue and trauma care.

Over three days they showcase vital skills and technical capabilities, used in their daily work as firefighters, as well as sharing positive practice, trialling innovative new rescue techniques and testing new equipment that ultimately could be used at real incidents.

The Rescue Challenge, part of the Festival of Rescue event, is a long-standing product of UKRO, providing a safe and controlled environment for rescue and trauma professionals to compete, as well an opportunity for the public to come along and watch the teams in action.

NFCC Chair Mark Hardingham said: “The UKRO Festival of Rescue is a fantastic opportunity for teams of professional firefighters to come together and to represent their own service in what is a challenging, exciting and rewarding national display of skill and technical capability.

“The level of training and expertise in this area within the UK fire and rescue is worldclass. This is not only demonstrated on a daily basis by firefighters across the country, but also by the UK International Search and Rescue team (UKISAR) when they are called on to join the search and rescue efforts following widescale weather-related incidents such as flooding or wildfires, or other major events such as the recent devastating earthquake in Morocco.

“Events such as the Rescue Challenge, alongside regular training, live exercises and, of course, responding to incidents, help to ensure that our firefighters are prepared and ready to respond in a wide range of scenarios, giving the public trust and confidence in their ability to keep people safe.

“The NFCC also has its part to play, with the provision of National Operational Guidance and the guidance we produce jointly with UKRO.”

In addition to the professional firefighter teams who are competing, six Fire Cadet teams (from Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Midlands, South Wales and Scotland) will be demonstrating their trauma care skills on the national stage.

The NFCC’s National Fire Cadets Manager Gary Williams said: “In recognition of the work that UK fire and rescue services do with young people in their communities, UKRO are supporting UK Fire Cadets, to allow them to demonstrate their casualty care skills alongside firefighters in this national competition.

“Teams compete in two challenges: a standard first aid scenario with one casualty and then a more complex scenario with two casualties. There is also a separate one-off event between the Sea Cadets and Army Cadets.

“The cadets have also been invited to take part in some training activities with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service on the Sunday.

“The Challenge brings together teams of young people from across the country to participate in a national event which, not only to displays their ability, but also develops their confidence and personal development by representing their own host fire and rescue service.”

You can find out more about UKRO by visiting their website: www.ukro.org.