Last week we were proud to host 12 Fire Service and Rescue Services with USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) capabilities at our training venue in Westcott, the Services were from:
- Tyne and Wear
- West Yorkshire
- Lancashire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Hereford & Worcester
- Avon
- Devon & Somerset
- Kent
- Essex
- Norfolk
- West Midlands
This national training event is carried out four times a year in different venues to quality assure and requalify search dogs and handler teams across the country. Earlier this year, Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service and Devon & Summerset Fire & Rescue Service also hosted training events.
What is USAR?
USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) is a national asset that can be deployed throughout the country at larger scale incidents. Some of our firefighters based at Aylesbury Fire Station complete extra training, gain further skills and qualifications so they would be ready to respond in the event of an emergency. Crews could be sent to a technical rescue operation that involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilisation of victims trapped in an urban area ( ie like a collapsed building).
To enhance our support during major incidents, we have a dedicated search dog team (Huw and his handler Alan) that undergo regular training to ensure they are prepared for deployment in emergencies when needed. All teams that participated in training this week include live scent detection dogs, which can be deployed alongside other USAR teams to work collaboratively during incidents.
Training
The CPD (continuous professional development) training, saw all teams carrying out both hands on activities and sharing theoretical input.
The activities included:
- Rubble pile searches
- Night searches
- Open area missing person searches
Once all activities were completed, the session concluded with an assessment that involved a 20-minute search in a collapsed structure with an unknown number of casualties to locate. For the dogs to successfully pass the training assessment, they needed to find all the casualties.
This training is essential, providing handlers and live scent detection dogs nationwide with the chance to refine their skills, exchange knowledge, and collaborate effectively. Together, we can continue to make a difference when you need our support the most.
