Home > Media > Press Releases > West Yorkshire takes on the world …and wins!
Text only
5 November 2007
West Yorkshire firefighters have won their most prestigious rescue title to date at the World Rescue Challenge.
The extrication team took the complex scenarios crown at the competition in Barcelona, which saw almost 40 teams competing.
They took part in three scenarios in total, ranging from 10 to 30 minutes, which tested all aspects of vehicle rescue techniques and casualty care – all essential skills firefighters must have to rescue casualties quickly and safely from a vehicle at a road traffic collision.
West Yorkshire’s team, made up of incident commander Jim Butters, medic Dave Smith, tool operators Pete Owen and Lee Benson, medic and tool operators Trevor McDonald and Damian Cameron, finished runners-up in the unlimited event at last year’s World Rescue Challenge in Cape Town, South Africa.
West Yorkshire FRS has also taken part in competitions at national level for the past five years and achieved four top-10 finishes, including two fourth place finishes.
The World Challenge is run under the auspices of the World Rescue Organisation (WRO) – an international body which incorporates regional rescue organisations from the UK, North America, Australasia and Africa.
John Mann, in charge of training delivery at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Congratulations to the team for their success in this international competition. It proves that West Yorkshire has the best trained firefighters not only in the UK, but the world.
“This event has a number of direct benefits to the emergency services and beyond. It promotes the UK Fire and Rescue Service and its partners, provides a forum for sharing best practice and helps develop extrication skills and related medical rescue techniques, as well as wider technical rescue skills and techniques. Therefore, it is hoped lives will be saved as a result of the improved rescuer performance.”
Station Manager Jim Butters added: “This is a fantastic achievement for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. I would like to congratulate my teammates for their hard work which paid off. We hope that our achievement will raise awareness of the seriousness and impact of road traffic collisions and help promote road safety.”
-ends-
For further information and interviews contact Kelly Thornham in the Media and PR Unit on 01274 655807.