On the 8th and 9th May UWFRA, Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO), North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire Brigade held a large training exercise near UWFRA's  HQ in Grassington. 

The training consisted of helicopter training, casualty care, search and rescue, stretcher carry, cave sump pumping and setting up high level traverse lines across the River Wharfe.

Highlights of the training included 25 volunteers being flown to various location around Grassington in a RAF Sea King helicopter to locate and extract various casualties. The casualties were then winched into the helicopter using various winching techniques and some impressive flying!  For the newer members of the team there was the opportunity to get winched into the helicopter.

ITV Calendar attended throughout the first day and we were given a major piece on their main evening programme the following week as well as shorter versions in their bulletins   The theme was based on the record number of callouts for the teams and the safety card campaign .Our interviewees did the teams credit with very professional performances -  yet another string to their bows!

The two-day training session was a huge success and showed the benefits of bringing together different rescue organisations for training. Thanks goes out to all those involved.
 

Various team members with RAF Sea King