Deniliquin firefighter Col Munro is on his way to the UK this week for the UK Rescue Organisation’s (UKRO) Festival of Rescue.
The Mid Murray Rural Fire Service operational officer will spend the start of this week in Sydney, where he will dedicate three days to acquainting himself with his multi-agency team before departing for the United Kingdom.
The team will then spend 10 days in the UK, after flying out this Friday.
The UK Rescue Organisation is considered to be at the forefront of development and innovation in the field of professional rescue, training rescue and trauma professionals in both in the UK and internationally.
This year's prestigious Festival of Rescue will take place at Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard, with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Services proudly hosting.
The festival will begin with an informative conference on Thursday, September 26.
The focus then turns to a grand opening ceremony and a two-day challenge.
The teams will face a series of critical tasks focusing on essential rescue skills, including rope techniques, vehicle extrication, water rescue operations and trauma management.
“Personally, it is just a massive opportunity for my own development,” Mr Munro said.
Mr Munro was an emergency for the team, and got the call-up when some members had to withdraw.
As the Mid Murray operational officer and district rescue co-ordinator, Mr Munro oversees emergency response and rescue operations in the region.
He also trains a number of the brigades in the area, which included the training session with the Tuppal, Myrtle Park, Birganbidgil and Mayrung brigades just over a week ago.
The training opportunities and the access to expert level knowledge and presentations Mr Munro will have access to in the UK will be brought back to the region.
With this knowledge, and the newly acquired fire truck equipped with advanced firefighting technology, Mid Murray’s capability to protect the community during the upcoming fire season will be enhanced.