Volunteers train in rescue techniques

Nine officers of the St John Rescue Corps have just returned from a week-long training stint with the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in the United Kingdom.

The training is part of an agreement between the two organisations which will ultimately lead to a formalised twinning programme.

The visit was intended to provide members of the St John Rescue Corps with the opportunity to train alongside members of the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and learn new skills, particularly those related to fire fighting and urban search and rescue.

The daily training programme consisted of a variety of fire and rescue skills which included breathing apparatus training and entry control, road traffic collision technical rescue, advanced rope rescue techniques, practical advanced fire fighting training and incident management command and control.

The team was also trained in the use of the Dennis Excalibur fire engine.

Of particular interest was the water rescue training carried out on the Mersey river and the simulated rescue of an injured person from a 50-metre tower crane on a construction site in Liverpool's city centre.

The St John Rescue Corps officers also received intensive training on the use of a trapped person locator which was donated to the Rescue Corps for eventual use in Malta for the search and rescue of persons who may be trapped under collapsed structures.

The St John Rescue Corps is also training some of its members for any overseas deployment in which it may be asked to participate.