Winter training for Southern USAR team

Our Southern Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team recently trained in Porters Pass for their Winter skills sessions.

The team wanted to incorporate lessons learned from recent domestic deployments Tropical Cyclones Gabrielle and Hale and feedback from INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group) teams deployed to Tűrkiye. 

Fifteen personnel attended the training which included Squad leaders, Technicians, Logistics, Medics and Engineers and some activities were conducted when it was dark. 

Te Ihu Senior trainer and USAR Squad Leader Scott Shadbolt said the team covered a lot of ground over the two days and one night. 

‘Training included preparing and moving gear and equipment to set up a base, and navigation using GPS coordinates. 

‘The team also trialled and tested the new working safely in water flood suits and worked at height in darkness in alpine terrain.’ 

Scott said the training went well and feedback included: 

'Training in the dark brings an extra layer to the operation that requires logistics and procedures to be tighter, this was great’.

‘This was great for teambuilding and exactly what we needed after the operational tempo we have had this year’.