New Zealand firefighters beat Australia and Hong Kong to claim victory at Australasian Rescue Challenge

Wellington, Tuesday 31 July 2018 – New Zealand fire and emergency response teams from volunteer brigades have claimed victory this year over competitors at one of Australasia’s leading international challenges – the ARRO Australasian Rescue Challenge.

The event held in Warragul, Victoria, 26-29 July, saw 18 teams from three countries (Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong) compete in a number of scenarios designed to replicate motor vehicle accidents. Tasks include trauma challenge, timed challenge and extrication challenge in pits using crushed cars to simulate real life, and life-threatening, incidents.

Teams perform ‘rescues’ on live patients – over 100 patients were moulaged for this event with a range of horrific injuries to be considered throughout the challenges.

New Zealand’s leading firefighter association, the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA), funded three teams to attend based on the winners of similarly run events by the UFBA back in May and June. Teams from Geraldine, Feilding and Wanaka were joined by a team from Whitianga. Team Wanaka – the ‘wild card’ choice from the UFBA (based on those that did not win national events but hadn’t been funded to go in the last six years) took overall first place followed by Feilding in second and Whitianga in third.

The teams demonstrated impeccable teamwork, technical skill and application of medical knowledge to prove New Zealand’s Fire and Emergency NZ services are leaders in first response.

With around 300 road accident related fatalities a year on New Zealand roads, local fire and emergency teams are often first responders. Both the ARRO and UFBA challenges are a critical opportunity for fire and emergency teams across the country to:
• Share skills and techniques between experienced and newer competitors
• Network and support and grow camaraderie between different competitors
• Gain motivation for increasing fitness, health and endurance
Further information and results can be found here http://www.arro.org.au/’
Photos of New Zealand’s winning teams can be found here https://www.facebook.com/kiwisatrcr/
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