With nearly a year of preparations, hundreds of firefighters and literally tonnes of heavy duty specialist equipment, London Fire Brigade hosted the country’s biggest and most prestigious firefighter event - UK Rescue Challenge London 2011 (23-24 September).
The Challenge, hosted by the Brigade on behalf of UK Rescue Organisation (UKRO) at the award-winning Excel Centre, saw teams from the UK and Europe compete in four complex rescue disciplines, including, Trauma, USAR (Urban Search and Rescue), Rope Rescue and Extrication.
Based on reconstructions of real incidents, firefighters used their skills and specialist equipment to cut trapped casualties out of crashed cars, rescue people from cranes and collapsed buildings as well as provide emergency medical care until the paramedics’ arrival.
Hosted in the capital for the first time in the competition’s nine-year history, the Challenge attracted teams from 36 fire and rescue services across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Four international teams from the Republic of Ireland, Germany and Spain also took part in the event.
London’s own team came first in the USAR discipline, with the Brigade’s Trauma and Rope Rescue crews making it into the top three.
UK Rescue Challenge London 2011 results:
Extrication Challenge - Best Team:
1st: Royal Berkshire Rescue Team
2nd: Avon Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Central Scotland Fire & Rescue Service
Extrication Challenge - Best Officer in Charge:
1st: Royal Berkshire Rescue Team
2nd: Avon Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Surrey Fire & Rescue Service
Extrication Challenge – Best Medic:
1st: Royal Berkshire Rescue Team
2nd: Dorset Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Avon Fire & Rescue Service
Extrication Challenge – Best Technical Team:
1st: Royal Berkshire Rescue Team
2nd: North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Surrey Fire & Rescue Service
Rope Rescue Challenge – Best Overall team:
1st: Strathclyde Fire & Rescue
2nd: London Fire Brigade
3rd: West Midlands Fire Service
Rope Rescue Challenge – Best Technical Team:
1st: London Fire Brigade
2nd: Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: West Midlands Fire Service
Rope Rescue Challenge – Best Medic:
1st: London Fire Brigade
2nd: Strathclyde Fire & Rescue
3rd: Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
Rope Rescue Challenge – Best Leader:
1st: Strathclyde Fire & Rescue
2nd: London Fire Brigade
3rd: West Midlands Fire Service
Trauma Challenge – Best Team:
1st: Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service
2nd: London Fire Brigade
3rd: County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service
Overall USAR Challenge
1st: London Fire Brigade
2nd: Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service
Best USAR technical team
1st: London Fire Brigade
2nd: Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service
Best USAR team leader
1st: London Fire Brigade
2nd: Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service
Best USAR Medic
1st: London Fire Brigade
2nd: Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
3rd: Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service
