World Rescue Challenge Ireland 2010
Published: 29 July, 2010
In September this year the annual World Rescue Challenge is being hosted in Ireland. This will be the 12th event and the first time for it ever to be held in Ireland. Rescue Organisation Ireland (Eagraíocht Tarrthála Éireann) is proud to be bringing this event to Cork City (2005 European Capital of Culture) in association with the World Rescue Organisation (WRO).
“We are still a very young organisation having only started up in March 2008, so we are working hard to ensure the full success of this event, “ said organizer Willie Doyle.
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 we will also have three days of workshops to tap into the skills and knowledge of the international fire and rescue personnel attending.
Currently teams are particpating from the USA, Spain, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Luxemburg, South Africa, Hungary, Poland, Ghana, Russia, Germany, Australia, Malta and of course Ireland. The organisation anticipates approx 50 teams taking part over the three days.
All of this takes place on the Custom House Quay (North & South) on the River Lee, Cork City from the 2nd – 5th Sep (see website for event timetable). “It is an ideal location, close to Corks vibrant city centre and adjacent to the Clarion & Jurys hotels where most of the teams and participants will be staying,” Doyle continued.
As a registered charity, Rescue Organisation Ireland is a not-for-profit organisation. The charity’s aim is to promote best practice and improve the overall performance/technical response of fire rescue crews when dealing with Road Traffic Collisions. Secretary for the organization, Pádraig Ó Longaigh added: “Naturally we rely on funding & sponsorship to ensure that we get our message out there. We would therefore like to thank all sponsors and suppliers to date for their help to promote with this event. Sponsorship is still available and we will also have a trade stand on site.”
Companies and organizations which are interested in having a presence at the World Rescue Challenge in Cork, can get in touch with Pádraig by emailing him at polongaigh@hotmail.com or alternatively Willie Doyle (Treasurer) can be contacted at wdfs@gofree.indigo.ie
Extrication Challenge:
The aim of the ‘Extrication Challenge’ is to bring together teams of fire and rescue personnel to display their ability and expand their practical/technical skills in casualty extrication from a vehicle involved in an RTC (Road Traffic Collision). Each extrication team consists of five members (+ sub) - the incident commander, medic, two technical rescue personnel and one person responsible for operational support. At the moment thirty international teams will take part in this particular challenge.
All the teams will have to compete in three evolutions over the three days (Thurs/Fri/Sat)
- Standard, where a casualty must be freed from the vehicle within a 20 minute time limit
- Complex, where 2 casualties must be freed from vehicles within a 30 minute time limit
- Rapid, where a casualty whose condition has deteriorated must be freed from the vehicle within a 10 minute time limit.
Each day there will be three competition ‘pits’ running concurrently, in which each team strives to achieve its challenge within the allocated time. Three international WRO (World Rescue Organisation) assessors at each ‘pit’ observe and mark the team to standardised format/marking sheets on,
a) The Incident Commander
b) The Medic
c) The Technical team
The top three teams in each discipline and then overall for the event are announced at the closing ceremony, that will be held on Sun night, Sep 5th.
Trauma Challenge:
The aim of the ‘Trauma Challenge’ is to assess the EMT skills of professional firefighters in trauma situations. Up to 20 international teams will participate in this event that allows a team of two personnel to deal with a simulation of a trauma incident using live casualties, critiqued by WRO assessors.
Firefighters are assessed on their “life saving” skill during each 10 minute-long trauma based scenario which focuses on developing and promoting the life support skills of rescue personnel who must fill the therapeutic vacuum until further medical help arrives. There will be two evolutions per team over two days (Sat/Sun). The top three teams will then be announced at the closing ceremony.
World Rescue Challenge 2010 - Dúshlán na Laoi, Corcaí - promises to be a spectacular event.
Please, visit the websites for further information – www.rescue-org-ireland.com and www.wrescue.org
