The Bridgend Extrication Team and the Malpas Trauma Team of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have returned triumphant from the World Rescue Challenge competition in Ireland.

 

The World Rescue Challenge sees the top international rescue teams compete annually in an event designed to challenge emergency service personnel and raise awareness of the global problem of road death and injury. The Challenge typically comprises of an Extrication event and a Trauma event. This year there was also three days of workshops to tap into the skills and knowledge of the international fire and rescue personnel attending.

Thirty of the top teams in the world competed from the prestigious title, which included teams from the USA, Spain, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Luxemburg, South Africa, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and Australia.

 

World's Best 

South Wales Fire and Rescue won every Extrication event, as well as coming second in both Trauma events. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Kevin Barry said: "This is an amazing achievement and I'm proud of each member of the team. To have a clean sweep and win every Extrication event is unheard of and shows an exceptional level of success.

"The team's victory is clearly down to excellent training and dedication. I also can't begin to explain the success that the Trauma team have achieved. Roger Magan came second place in the World Medic Challenge, whilst Chris Jones and Emrys Davies also came second in the World Trauma Challenge. They were competing against full time paramedics and even a doctor, and to come second is an honourable triumph.

"The team were victorious having been presented with a difficult challenge, and we look forward to them returning to deliver their high level of professional service back in South Wales, with the confidence that we have the world's best protecting our communities."

 

Improving Skills 

Team Leader Shaun Moody added: "Once again I want to thank the team for all their hard work in training for this event. Thank you also goes to the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service management team for their continued support.

"The skills and knowledge we experience in the challenge improves our ability as firefighters within South Wales to deal with the increasing number of road traffic collisions we, along with the ambulance and police, have to deal with on a daily basis in the South Wales area. These techniques and skills are then cascaded to all operational personnel to create a more effective/safer and quicker approach in rescuing the public from road traffic collisions."

As well as being the first team to ever win each Extrication event, the Bridgend Extrication Team created World Challenge history by becoming the first to lift the Team Champions Title 3 times.

Trauma Team: Chris Jones and Emrys Davies.

Extrication Team: Shaun Moody (Team Leader), Roger Magan, Mark Sanderson, Phil May, Allyn Hosey.