Lincolnshire firefighters to the rescue!

Firefighters from around the country are ready to show their skills, as Lincolnshire hosts rescue event.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are hosting a national event this autumn where teams from around the UK compete in a range of rescue challenges.

The Lincolnshire Festival of Rescue will feature live rescue demonstrations as the United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO) challenge for 2023 comes to the county.

Firefighters and specially trained rescue teams will showcase their skills in challenges such as car extrication, water rescue, high rope rescue and more.

Hosted at various sites, including Lincoln Castle and cathedral, and in the surrounding areas, the event takes place from 14 to 16 September. It’s the second time the event has come to Lincolnshire, following a successful event in 2012.

This year will also see an exciting canine event and demonstration, which is bound to be popular with spectators. This will feature a rubble pile to enable dogs and their handlers to demonstrate search techniques, with the public able to interact and use search cameras.

Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer for Lincolnshire, said: “Fire and rescue services really enjoy this event and I’m delighted we are hosting it again. It’s a great way for professionals to learn and practice their skills, knowledge and techniques that improves the way we respond to emergencies. More than this though, it’s a great way for the public to see firefighters in action.”

Information about the event for the public and participants is now available at www.ukro.org.

Paw-some effort!

One of the stars of the canine event is bound to be Lincolnshire’s own Colin the collie!

Colin the dog was part of the rescue team from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue who went out to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in February this year, working with other fire services from the UK.

The team searched hundreds of buildings, located and rescued a number of survivors. Based in the Hatay province in southern Turkey, they worked in gruelling conditions, for many hours at a time, to find the survivors amongst the rubble.

Councillor Lindsey Cawrey, executive member for Lincolnshire fire and Rescue, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the whole team for their efforts in such difficult circumstances. Our sincerest thanks goes to Ash, Neil, Colin and Mark – and, of course, Colin the dog. What they achieved is nothing short of amazing.

“Rescue dogs like Colin can cover such a large amount of ground much more quickly than humans, so are invaluable when time is of the essence. You can find out more about the work of rescue dogs at the UKRO event, which will also showcase our amazing city to new visitors too.”