FIRST RESPONSE RESCUE

CHALLENGE OVERVIEW

CHALLENGE RULES

Last updated: March 2023

EQUIPMENT LIST

Last updated: April 2024

The First Response Rescue Challenge combines the medical skills of BLS with the rescue skills of Technical Rescue. It is designed to train and challenge 4-rescuer engine companies that are likely to be first on the scene before the technical rescue teams arrive.

Teams will have their knowledge and skills challenged in real life scenarios. IRECA has set the standard for World Class Technical Rescue competitions since 1948 as well as providing various BLS and ALS medical competition offerings at our annual conferences. SAFETY is our #1 priority at all times since we use live patients in our challenge scenarios.

All scenarios will have both medical and rescue components. If a particular scenario is heavy on medical treatments, it will be lighter on the rescue aspects. If a scenario is more rescue intensive, there will be less medical.

RESCUE

First response rescue teams should be able to do all skills and have the equipment required of the full technical rescue teams—they just have less people.

Teams entering the challenge should be capable in the use of kernmantle rescue rope and associated equipment to complete a high angle raise or lower rescue using a stokes basket, back board, KED/LSP halfback, or a full body harness. They should be knowledgeable in the use of SCBA/supplied air, tripods, portable davit, building Mechanical Advantage haul systems (2:1, 3:1, 4:1) from scratch, (no pre-made M/A’s permitted). Also, permit required confined space, and elevated pickoffs. A majority of these scenarios will take place in an industrial or municipal setting. Although, we do mix rural type scenario’s when the possibility exists

MEDICAL

First response rescue teams will be judged at the Emergency Medical Technician level.

Medical assessment and treatment will be done at the Emergency Medical Technician level using the same required equipment as is listed for our BLS competition, plus anything supplied by the competition board (i.e. splints, AEDs). This is an all day challenge, having 2-4 scenarios that last about 40 minutes each.