June 10th 2019
A huge congratulations to Team Intervention Rescue who placed joint 7th overall at Grimpday 2019. This is a fantastic achievement given that the 30 teams that entered the competition are the global elite in rope rescue. No doubt Intervention Rescue will be back again next year, well done Adam, Nick, Emma, Tom, Paul, Neil & Seb!
Continue below to catch up with all the action from this years Grimp...
June 5th 2019
It's that time of year again when Namur, Belgium welcomes Search and Rescue Teams from across the Globe to compete in Grimpday.
Created in 2006 by Namur's regional Fire Department, Grimpday has grown to become a 'reference in the world of rope rescue', attracting teams from all divisions of search and rescue including, Fire, Civil Defense, Military and Police.
ISC's involvement with Grimpday began in 2017, when Adam Davies (ISC Territory Sales Manager) was invited to compete as part of the Hong Kong Rope Union Rescue Team. Impressed with the level of competition and insight gained, Adam was keen to enter his own team and so approached a number of key individuals, each with the skills, experience and determination to take Grimpday by storm...
Introducing, Intervention Rescue
Nick Croudace - Team Leader
Nick is renowned for his leadership skills, with over 20 years operational experience in the UK Fire & Rescue Service. Nick is an IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) Level 3 Assessor and has been the Rope Rescue Lead for UKRO (United Kingdom Rescue Organization) for the last 7 Years.
Nick is passionate about advancing the professional rope rescue discipline and his unique background and expertise has led to him training and assessing this discipline globally.
Tom Gwilliam - Team Assessor
Tom is Director and Training Manager for Specialist Training Consultants Limited (STC). Tom’s passion is rope rescue as well as studying and furthering the knowledge and understanding of those delivering technical rescue programmes.
Tom is a founding member, instructor and assessor of the recently formed International Technical Rescue Association. Tom is also an on call firefighter in the UK Fire and Rescue Service. Tom’s recent projects include the planning, training, and provision of technical rescue personnel, on what will be the largest offshore wind-farm in the world.
Neil Luke-McLean - Team Member
Neil is a whole-time firefighter Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, stationed at the Technical Rescue Unit in Droitwich. Neil is also part of National Resilience Urban Search & Rescue Team (USAR).
Neil has a wealth of experience and duties beyond frontline firefighting including, Confined Space, Rope Rescue & LACE, heavy lifting and moving and Pre-hospital Trauma (RSC Ed). He also holds Instructor Level qualifications for USAR, Water Rescue (R3 agency) and Hotcut (NRAT).
Neil's personal passions outside of work revolve mainly around mountains, rock and ice.
Emma Allen - Team Casualty & Support
Emma is the National Account Manager for Fletcher Stewart Ltd. and Stein Worldwide and the “Mum” of Intervention Rescue.
As the willing “victim” for the Team, Emma is keen to extend her knowledge of rope access and rescue techniques from the very unique viewpoints she’s exposed to during competition scenarios, with unwavering faith in her accomplished teammates!
Paul Beattie-Edwards - Team Member
Paul has 12 years experience as an IRATA Level 3 Instructor. Having started as a Rope Technician in 2001, Paul has worked as a Tech on 'everything and anything'. A self-confessed rope geek, when he's not working-at-height, Paul can normally be found up a rock face!
Sebastjan Kocijanic - Team Member
Seb is an IRATA Level 3 Instructor, having gained over 10 years experience in the working-at-height and rescue industry. His background in the busy London construction scene as a Rope Access Technician, led to his progression to instructor, in all aspects of work and rescue at height for various industries.
Adam Davies - Team Member
Adam is an IRATA Level 1 and experienced ISC Product Demonstrator and Technical Author. Adam has vast experience as a Rope Rescue Instructor, Working-at-Height Supervisor and First Response Emergency Care (FREC). His background as a qualified Arborist and member of the Arboricultural Association, has given him great insight and understanding to Risk Assessment and worksite safety.
Adam has recently been promoted to Territory Sales Manager, looking after the interests of a portfolio of Central European and African Accounts.
Intervention Rescue will be looking to build on their 2018 debut where they finished a very respectful 6th from 36 teams. We wish them all the luck for a safe and successful campaign.
Grimpday 2019, takes place from 06-08 June and we will be following the action with photo and video updates throughout, so check back soon!
June 6th 2019
Busy first day for our team at Grimp 2019 with a gear check in the morning, followed by a skills test in the afternoon. The main competition begins tomorrow!
June 7th 2019
It's competition day at Grimp 2019, all the teams have gathered for a hearty breakfast and they're going to need it with a day chock-full of challenges...
Team has arrived at their first Challenge location, La Citadelle de Dinant.
Quick breather after an EPIC Over-edge Stretcher Rescue, recovering a Casualty (Emma) from the bottom of the Citadelle, video below...
No time to admire the view from the Citadelle walls, another over-edge rescue...
Change of location for the afternoon challenges, this one will certainly test the teams strength and stamina. Road closure in place to help our team with a 70m climb, followed by a haul to recover casualty on stretcher with attendant. Total lift weight...A LOT!
June 8th 2019
Second day of Grimp and today brings a variety of scenarios and locations, it's going to be a busy one..
This one's not for the faint hearted...Sebastjan with Medic in attendance during casualty recovery.
Balcony rescue from roof top, Namur Fire & Rescue Service in support with ladder truck to assist with access.
And that's it!...A long, challenging weekend for the team, but worth every bit of blood, sweat and tears! We wait in anticipation to hear the results at tonight's closing ceremony...
All 30 teams are gathered to celebrate what has been another fantastic Grimp. The results from the competition will be announced shortly.
It's a joint 7th finish along with our Team America friends, Elevated Safety, great job guys!
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