Fire service officers sharpen skills in UK

Four operational officers at the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service have successfully completed a number of courses at UK training schools.

Leading Firefighters Christian Desoiza and Dino Navarro recently attended a Rope Rescue Instructors course at Outreach Rescue in Bangor, Wales.

This course is designed to provide delegates with the skills and underpinning knowledge to ensure that they can effectively deliver training to rope rescue operator level.

The core course content is continuously assessed by a combination of scenario-based training exercises, instructional presentations, risk assessments and written examinations.

“Our instructors will be tasked with ensuring the maintenance of competency levels in their respective watches and, in so doing, guarantee an effective and efficient response to any potential cliff rescue incidents in Gibraltar,” the GFRS said in a statement. Leading Firefighters Chisum Sanchez and Martin Posso have just returned from the Fire Service College (FSC) in Moreton-in-Marsh, UK, where they have successfully completed their Incident Command level one course.

This course employs a blended learning approach over a six week period with five days spent on site at the FSC.

There, delegates are put under continuous pressure to resolve a variety of operational incidents as decision makers.

The course is accredited to the Skills for Justice Award in Initial Incident Command in Fire and Rescue Service (QCF), and is mapped against National Occupational Standard WM7 (Watch Manager 7), “Lead and support people to resolve Operational Incidents”.