New skills include working in confined spaces, safe working at heights carrying out search and rescue operations in a multi-level collapsed building, technical search, and shoring, breaking and breaching skills. lifting and moving, using basic principles, coupled with modern technology, to move and stabilise heavy masses.
The teams must be able to respond to any major unstable or collapsed structure or major transportation incident as part of a national response. To achieve this objective, and meet defined performance standards, the team must be able to respond within 45 minutes along with the on-call personnel.
The Lancashire team will be based at the Service Training Centre Chorley. The team comprises of 2 crews, blue watch and red watch and will work the day crewing shift system. The teams include 1 Station Manager 2 watch managers 2 crew managers and 6 firefighters (technicians) on each watch. Greater Manchester Fire Service are also part of the team comprising of 24 personnel on call with at least 6 ready to respond at any time. Whilst Greater Manchester team is on call they will work from and respon to incidents from Whitehill fire station Stockport.
