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Specialist Response Week

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Please note that this event has now taken place

Specialist response week

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has successfully hosted the inaugural Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) Specialist Response Week.

The event ran from 28 September to 1 October 2009 at various locations around the county and focused on specialist areas of operation where training is hard to come by.

The event was well received with participants attending from Fire and Rescue Services around the country along with international delegates from as far afield as California.

Hampshire identified that while modern Fire and Rescue Services are constantly changing and developing, it is often difficult to gain experience in certain specialist areas. Recognising the need to share experience and ideas Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and CFOA developed the idea for Specialist Response Week.

This week was an opportunity for CFOA members and others to focus specifically on nine carefully selected areas of specialist response, including high volume pumping, confined space rescue, animal rescue, mutual aid, trench rescue, USAR shoring, hot cutting, rope rescue and forensic operations.

Throughout the week there were seminars, lectures from industry experts and workshops which offered the opportunity to gain the all important experience required by practitioners.

Over the course of the week more than 400 delegates attended with many staying for the full programme. Early results from evaluation forms show a favourable response and it is hoped that in years to come another Fire and Rescue Service will take the reins and host this important showcase.

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“Specialist Response Week, 28 September – 1 October 2009 - Workshops…Practitioners Forums…Sharing Best Practice”