On Thursday 11th April 2013, we reported via this website, that our Team Treasurer and New Incident Control Vehicle Project Officer Martin Banks attended at the kind invitation of Bolton Council, a day long course regarding Multi Agency Introduction to Civil Contingencies. This is the fourth time the team has attended this course, the first being 15th June 2010, when our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE attended, followed by the 23rd November 2010 course when our Team Training Officer at the time, Elaine Gilliland and Team Vehicles Officer Chris Greenhalgh attended, and Thursday 13th September 2012, when our Catering and Base Officer at the time Chris Tennant attended.

Held at the excellent venue of the Education Centre at Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, the course attracted many participants from the statutory and voluntary emergency sector and agencies, including very knowledgeable course facilitators and session presenters.

The course objectives included;

• To understand the context and implications of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the statutory duties it places on Category 1 and 2 responders.
• To become familiar with the role of all agencies involved in planning, preparing for and responding to emergencies.
• To share knowledge and understanding with other local agencies.
• To learn from previous experiences of responding to emergencies.

There follows Martin’s own account of the days activities;

“On Thursday 11th April I had the opportunity to attend the ’Introduction to Civil Contingencies Course’, it was great introduction to the roles and responsibilities of first responders attending major incidents in our operational area.

The course covered the legal background to the Civil Contingencies Act and included presentations from the Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and the North West Ambulance Service as well as an overview from from Bolton Council on its leading role in planning and managing Major Incidents.

We also had presentations from the Royal Bolton Hospital and from GMFRS Urban Search and Rescue SAR dogs on there roles in supporting major incidents, and I had the opportunity to give an overview of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team and its operational capabilities and organisation.

With the opportunity to mix with attendees from the Fire, Ambulance, Police and Council alongside Health professionals from A&E and support organisations, including British Red Cross and the WRVS, the day was a great opportunity to become familiar with how Mountain Rescue could, or would, be involved with supporting major incidents and the command and control of such incidents.

I would like to extend my thanks to Bolton Council, and in particular Cath Nally, for the offer of the place on the course and to the hosts for the day Royal Bolton Hospital.”

Please also see website news reports dated 15th June 2010, 23rd November 2010, 13th September 2012 and 11th April 2013.