South Wales Extrication Team - The Epitome of Sharing Knowledge
I have just returned from the UKRO National Extrication Challenge held at the Fire Service College in Moreton in Marsh, UK. I have blogged many times about the value of these (and other) extrication challenges and believe passionately in the concept. These challenges are a perfect opportunity to meet likeminded people, share knowledge and advance technical and medical rescue.
So what is there left to blog about you may ask?
Well this challenge proved once again the value of sharing knowledge and how, if done with passion, enthusiasm and dedication, it can bring fantastic results and once in a lifetime opportunities.
As I have said (many times) these events are a challenge rather than a competition. However there is, by definition, a prize for first, second and third position.
The team from Hampshire won and are now UK and World champions, a fantastic achievement. The second place team were team Hereford and Worcester from Ross on Wye. This team are a retained team (in the UK the term retained is given to part time fire fighters who have full time alternate professions and are called upon when required by their fire and rescue service) which makes their final position all the more impressive. I know this team personally and can testify to their sheer passion and dedication to improving their knowledge in technical rescue. It is a fantastic achievement when you consider they have far less opportunity to train together. In addition to coming second overall, they were the top scoring team in the technical category. Well done to Adrian Phillips and his team!
The Team from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (Ross on Wye) Second Place Overall and Best Technical Team
Follow the team on Twitter: @HWFireRoss
In third place were South Wales (A) team, commonly known as Bridgend. The Bridgend team are one of the most successful teams ever to compete in these challenges and have been multiple regional, national and world champions. They have been competing for well over a decade and epitomise the very ethos of these events.
Amazingly the Bridgend team have mentored the Hereford and Worcester team for a couple of years. They have spent many hours training and developing them and the vast majority of this has been done in their own time and at their own expense; amazing commitment. The result; a team they spent many hours training finished above them in the final results, with all members of the South Wales team the first to applaud them!
They have not only done this with the Hereford and Worcester team but have also done this with numerous teams from their own service and throughout the United Kingdom. But their commitment to sharing knowledge doesn’t stop there. At the World Rescue Challenge 2013 in Clearwater, Florida, Shaun Moody (incident commander from Bridgend) and his team spent a day training a brand new team from South America. Remember, these guys could have put shorts and sunglasses on and enjoyed the Florida sun, but no; they put on their extrication gear and shared their knowledge. The team from South America finished 18th out of 28 in their first World Rescue Challenge; brilliant.
South Wales (A) Team from Bridgend. Holmatro are Proud Sponsors of this Team for the Last 5 Years.
Hereford and Worcester, Bridgend and Hampshire now qualify to represent the UK in the World Rescue Challenge in Rio, Brazil next year.
So my message here is quite simple. If you are not yet in an extrication team, join one (or form one). If you are in an extrication team put what you learn to the best possible use and train those around you. Whether that is personnel from your own fire department, service or other rescue services in your own country. Taking part in such fantastic events and doing nothing with the vital knowledge you learn should not be an option. Take a leaf out of the book of the South Wales Team.
We often think about the best as being those who come first, but there is more to it than that.
Hereford and Worcester have already offered their services to newer teams who are now looking at them for inspiration and guidance.
The most important thing about knowledge is passing it on
As always I welcome your feedback....
Ian