Today team members Andy Ryding, Paul Brain and Alistair Greenough (with trainee search dog Tess) visited Belmont Primary School to talk to the children about the work of the team.

Belmont sits in the heart of the teams operational area, at the foot of Winter Hill, so the visit gave the team an opportunity in educating the children in the work of the team as well as highlighting some of the dangers of the area.

After an introduction from the headteacher Chris Hoddle the early year children split into two groups to learn about our equipment, stretchers and work with the search dog.

Andy demonstrating the pulse oxymeter

How many Belmont School children does it take to lift head teacher, Mr Hoddle?

The older children were next and took part in an inpromptu rescue of one of the children, incorporating a search exercise, communications, casualty care and evacuation of the casualty.

The team gets called out by pager…

The search begins…

Search dog Tess ’finds’ the casualty…

Casualty care team chosen to assist the casualty…

Pain relieving gas on the way to the casualty

Belmont Primary School are undertaking a sponsored walk on the 28th June this year, with funds raised kindly being donated to the team. Watch this space for news of the walk and the donation presentation.

The team would like to thank Chris Hoddle and the staff at Belmont Primary School for giving us the opportunity to talk to the children and would like to wish them well for the walk later this month.

Yesterday the children were treated to a water safety and rescue demonstration, on the nearby Wards Reservoir by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.