Now larger than ever, this years fifth Greater Manchester Emergency Services Open Day took place today at its usual venue of the intu Trafford Centre, Manchester.

Completely free, with displays featuring a huge range of vehicles, shows and demonstrations from GMFRS, NWAS, GMP, BMRT and other emergency and voluntary sector organisations working within Greater Manchester, all serving our local communities in times of need, the rainy start to the day did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds that attended – and yes the rain did quickly clear away.

The event officially opened at 10am, closing at 4pm, and was located within the car parks close to the Food Hall Entrance at the intu Trafford Centre, Manchester.

Bolton MRT featured in the ‘mountain rescue zone,’ where twelve operational and two Support Group members were on hand, alongside our Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances, our Crewbus / Ambulance, Incident Control vehicle, Catering Unit Trailer and our SAR Boat, plus the wide range of search and rescue equipment we carry also being on display.

A wide range of live displays throughout the day took place from the many exhibitors present, including Road Traffic Collision, Kitchen Safety, and CPR.

Visitors to our display included Sharman R Birtles, the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester in the company of her husband Grahame, GMP Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy QPM – who enjoyed our catering, and Team friends and valued supporters Maureen and Jim Heggie from Team Eagley Bank, Bolton.

The Mayor of Trafford John Holden and his wife Christine, the Lady Mayoress of Trafford, were also honoured guests, with the Mayor commenting with thanks to our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE on the work the team carries out within the Borough of Trafford.

GMFRS Officer Ben Levy also popped over to say hello, along with GMP Officer Linden Riley BEM who patrols in Bolton and is a ‘record’ longest serving GMP Officer.

Throughout the day we had hundreds of visitors to our display, with a constant queue of children enjoying siting in our Land Rovers whilst their parents and grand parents enquired as to the work of the team.

Mountain Rescue ‘Rory’ our mascot got hugged to death, and every button and switch available to young fingers got pushed and tried!

Team Support Group members Gillian Gregory and Iain Clarkson in our Catering trailer Unit kept many exhibitors supplied with hot and cold drinks and biscuits, complimenting the Salvation Army Catering Unit which supplied all exhibitors with sandwiches and drinks (We supplied all exhibitors free of charge – so special thanks to the young Sea Cadet who still insisted in making a donation to the Bolton MRT)

During the day we were visited by three interested persons from ‘Hands Free,’ a Trafford based Vehicle Installation Technology Company.

They were particularly interested in our Incident Control Vehicle, and spent much time with our Deputy Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh, who explained its IT and Communications kit fitment.

It was quickly established that Chris Horrocks of Hands Free was well known to Chris and our Team Leader Garry, when as a serving GMP Missing From Home Co-Ordinator at the time, he worked alongside the team in a search for a missing person in May 2006 in the Ashley area of north Cheshire.

After spending some time in the company of our Deputy Team Leader and Team Leader, asking many questions on the work of the team, all three from Hands Free made the very kind offer of supporting Bolton MRT by donating some equipment including free fitment, for our Incident Control Vehicle, namely a reversing camera system.

The following is as complete a listing as we are aware of, of all exhibitors at this years event (with apologies for any omissions or mistakes):

• GMP Automatic Number Plate Recognition Vehicles
• Sea Cadets
• North West 4×4 Response
• Regional Medical Services, 2x Response cars
• Retrak
• British Heart Foundation
• British Red Cross, demonstration unit
• GMFRS Children’s Fire Engine
• City Airport & Heliport Manchester (Barton) Airport Fire and Rescue Team Appliance.
• GMFRS Community Fire Cadets
• GMFRS Community Fire Cadets Drill Demonstration
• GMFRS Community Safety Events Unit
• GMP Covert Police Units
• Driving Simulator
• Millies Trust Paediatric First Aid
• GMFRS Enhanced Rescue Unit Appliance
• GMFRS Environmental Protection Unit Appliance
• British Red Cross Fire Emergency Support Service vehicle
• GMFRS Fire Scene Investigation / Urban Search and Rescue Canine Unit
• GMFRS Fire Scene Investigation Team
• Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum – Dennis Metz Turntable and 1940 Dennis ‘Big 6’ Pump Escape Vintage Fire Appliances
• GMFRS FireBug All-Terrain Vehicle
• Fire Fighter’s Charity
• GMFRS ‘Disco’ ‘Bubbles’ Children’s Fire Engine
• GMFRS Environmental Protection Unit Appliance
• GMFRS Enhanced Rescue Unit Appliance
• GMFRS Foam Unit
• GMFRS Fire Bikes
• Greater Manchester Casualty Reduction Partnership
• Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Children & Young People Department
• Greater Manchester Police Authority
• Greater Manchester Police Museum
• Greater Manchester Police Road Safety Trailer
• American Police Car Display
• GMFRS Hydraulic Platform Vehicle
• GMFRS Incident Command Unit and Command Support Unit
• Bolton and District Institute of Advanced Motorists
• GMFRS Kitchen Fire Safety Unit – Chip Pan Awareness
• North West Air Ambulance Charity
• GMFRS Major Rescue Unit
• GMP Motorway Patrol Vehicles
• Mountain Rescue Zone, featuring Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.
• NHS Blood and Transplant
• North West Ambulance Service CPR / Cardiac Smart demonstration
• North West Ambulance Service Emergency Ambulance
• North West Ambulance Service Command Unit
• Blood Bikes Manchester, 2x Motorbikes and a car.
• The Boys Brigade
• GMFRS Operational Support Unit
• PC-UK – Vintage Police Vehicles
• GMP Police Interceptor Vehicle
• GMP Crime Scene Investigation
• GMP Police Motorcycles
• GMP Police Specialist Tactical Response Vehicles
• GMP Police Zone
• GMP Road Safety Zone
• Manchester Airport Fire Service, Oshkosh Airport Fire Appliance ‘1,’ and support vehicle.
• Road Traffic Collision Demonstration
• RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution
• RSPCA Rope/Swiftwater Rescue Team
• St. John Ambulance, with an Emergency Ambulance and a Support Unit Ambulance
• GMFRS CRIT Team Vehicle
• GMFRS Small Incident Unit Appliance
• GMFRS Technical Response Unit Appliance
• GMFRS Urban Search and Rescue Vehicles
• GMFRS Water Incident Unit from Eccles Community Fire Station

With thanks to the wonderful generosity of the many visitors to our display today, we raised £73.94p to which can be added a thoughtful £20.00 donation from a supporter of the team who wishes to remain anonymous, but made this personal donation due to not being able to attend today (see website ‘News’ report dated Tuesday 4th August 2015)

We would like to thank GMFRS for their involvement in facilitating, organising and co-ordinating today, and of course the wonderful management team at intu Trafford Centre for kindly allowing the whole event to take place.