A TEAM of dedicated Queensland Fire and Emergency Services firefighters and Queensland Ambulance Service Paramedics from Redlands travelled to Alice Springs this week to compete in the gruelling 2015 Australasian Rescue Challenge.
The Queensland team, represented by Redland City, is unchanged from last year when they competed in Victoria.
The challenge, aptly named Outback Rescue, focuses on community education and highlights the challenges of road crash rescue operations and responses in remote locations.
The challenge has been operating since 1996 and brings together rescuers from SES, fire and rescue and mines rescue organisation.
This year there will be 18 teams from all states, several teams from New Zealand and teams from Hong Kong and Singapore.
Each team consists of six members, including a team leader, a medic and tool operators.
The teams are assessed on their ability to undertake a rescue from three scenarios spread across the three days that are time critical and patient focused.
They are assessed by a team of Australasian Road Rescue Organisation officers on their command, medical and technical abilities in events gauged on time, entrapped and controlled pits.
Each scenario reflects actual "on road" incidents.
Outcomes of the Australasian Rescue Challenge have contributed to the development of knowledge and skills in road crash rescue, which, ultimately, saves lives.
The Redland team has been competing in rescue challenges at regional, state and national level together since 2009.
Each team member brings a variety of comprehensive rescue skills to the team, with team members constantly working together on road. Their motivation is to take what they've learnt back home and apply it to real life incidents.
