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All members initially join the IRC as ordinary members, then after a six month introductory period, deciding if they want to train to become operational and apply to go onto the training register. Training is thorough and covers a wide range of topics associated with search and rescue activities at home and abroad. These include:
The list goes on. Whilst we occasionally enlist the help of outside specialists (in, for example, helicopter operations or mines rescue), most of it is managed by our own members, who have themselves been through the same training programme. Training is mostly carried out at weekends across the UK and members take part whenever they can – as a voluntary organisation, no one has to attend any specific event – the pace is left to each individual. The syllabus is well defined, though, and it takes at least 18 months before anyone can be considered for assessment for an international role. The assessment itself is a week-long exercise which starts with refresher training and ends with a 48 hour disaster scenario – a very intensive time for all concerned. Members who pass this assessment can feel justifiably proud as members of one of the world’s leading voluntary search and rescue organisations. Along the way to acceptance onto the international register, members can be assessed and accepted onto the UK Support and UK Operational registers. These members will be part of teams attending emergencies within the UK. Age ranges for assessment are: UK Operational: 18-60 The voluntary nature of the Corps, combined with the need for extensive training, means that operational membership of the IRC is restricted to residents of the UK. We do, however, work with many overseas teams and are always looking to forge links that may further help to save life. Also, the Corps is able to provide basic-training packages to other organisations and, at times, works with the British Government to provide these overseas.
'The International Rescue Training Programme' Pathways 1-3. (Basic, Intermediate and Advanced training for Urban Search and Rescue Workers). One of our newer members wrote a piece about his first experience of one of our Phase II assessment weeks; he was there in the support team, learning the ropes - but all Operational Members have to undergo a Phase II assessment before being accepted onto the operational register. Read his piece here. |
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The Corps' training modules are accredited by the UK's Open College
Network: