Today saw the Team’s SAR Boat back on the water ,following repairs carried out by North West RIBS and Inflatables of Wigan. (See website report of yesterday)

Team Call Out list members Dave Marsh (Our Training Officer) and his Trainee Drowned Victim Search Dog Sasha alongside Dave Cook, were joined by long term friend of the Bolton MRT, Paul West who is Chief Executive of AirRescue 24,
for a training session at Jumbles Reservoir, Edgworth, Bolton.

Paul was formerly with the NWAA Helimed 08 and Helimed 72 for many years and previous to this with Lancashire Ambulance service as was.

Paul, more used to being in helicopters than rigid inflatables, took part in the exercise during which discussions took place with the two Daves as to how the team can play an active role in the deployment of all the teams resources when/wherever needed in the North West of England whilst working alongside AirRescue 24.

All the while, the sun beamed down its most welcomed warmth, which was a change to the norm of the cold wet and windy conditions previously encountered since last year.

Many ’trips’ up and down the waters surface provided numerous training opportunities for Sasha whose body language meant she had located the ‘target’ scent article on each occasion.

The final strike on the target scent article was in fact the longest of the day which resulted in a loud bark indication. It is an understatement that her handler Dave Marsh finished the session at that juncture, over the moon with the progress in Sasha’s training to date.

(All pictures on this article © Paul West, Air Rescue 24), used with thanks