Ranked Sixth in the World in WRO 2015
From 14-18 October, talented firefighters from across the globe gathered in Lisbon, Portugal to take part in the World Rescue Challenge 2015. The World Rescue Challenge is designed to assist with the dissemination of a range of emergency rescue and medical techniques, practices and procedures to aid the effective management of road traffic collisions and other emergencies as well as the care of those involved. To qualify for this prestigious event teams from across the globe must first compete in local run-off events which are fiercely contested. Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service are proud to announce that its own trauma team, which specialises in advanced casualty medical care, was successful in qualifying and participating in this year’s event. The two person team comprising two operational Firefighters, Jayne Collins and Simon Griffiths, gave an outstanding performance and finished in an impressive sixth place in the world. The challenge spanned over several days and, during this time, the team competed against 67 other rescue professionals from around the world. The event, whilst acting as a hub for the exchange and development of new techniques, gave the team the opportunity to enhance their learning and engage with fellow professionals. The pair were faced with two scenarios during the four day challenge, both of which involved live casualties. The first involved a casualty that had fallen from height and the second scenario involved the scene of a shooting and stabbing. The team were given 10 minutes for each challenge to correctly assess, diagnose and treat the casualties. Firefighter Jayne Collins, who took part in the challenge, said: “We are so proud of the result and all that the hard work has achieved, but the real prize is what we have learnt. There’s so much we are now able to feed back into the Service and drive forward trauma care in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. She further commented: “The standard is high and our continued involvement in these events ensures we lead from the front and are able to make a difference where it counts, improving patient care and ultimately saving lives.” Chief Fire Officer Mark Yates said: “The team have demonstrated a world-class level of knowledge and commitment in this competition and we’re proud to have such talent within the Service. Not only will Jayne and Simon be able to cascade what they have learnt to enhance and develop the training they deliver to HWFRS staff, but it will also means the people of Herefordshire and Worcestershire will receive some of the best trauma care in the world. The pair won their place in the international competition after triumphing at the UKRO National Trauma Competition earlier in the year.
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