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GCRG Training Day Sunday June 13th 2021, Thank you to all who attended and big thanks to Ian for giving us the use of the Dean Fields Training Centre!

Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group held another Online Training Session for its members on Sunday March 14th 2021. With the ongoing Covid- 19 restrictions it was felt that this was a good route to follow.

The session was introducted by the GCRG Chairman Paul Taylor and took the form of a 1 hour video made up of six different short films covering items of GCRG Equipment some of which was brand new.

These covered the Little Dragon (Warm Air Unit) The range of Stretchers that the group has including the latest addition the Slix 100 or known alternatively as the Slix Speleo, The Slishman Traction Split that has been purchased to replace the much larger Hare Traction Splint, along with one covering Keeping the Casualty Warm and this included a section on the new BCRC Heated Jacket. These four films were interspersed with two further films showing the JAG Bridle System that allows the Barrow Boy to alter the orientation of the Stretcher when being hauled up the pitch from Vertical to Horizontal and a second film showing the setting up of a Standard Z-Rig for Hauling.

The films were presented by GCRG Members Nicky Bayley (GCRG Equipment Officer), Gareth Jones (GCRG Information Officer), Ian Healey (GCRG Training Officer) and John Holden.

They were filmed primarily at the GCRG Depot and edited by Ian Healey and Paul Taylor

Not only were they used for the Training Session but they will provide a very valuable teaching tool for future Training Sessions and for providing new members with a great insight into the equipment that the GCRG has available to meet the varying demands that a Rescue Incident requires.

In addition to the videos Mike Clayton and Emma Porter from the Midland Cave Rescue Orgainisation gave a short Powerpoint Presentation of the new Petzl Rescuender that they have incorporated into there Pitch Rigging Kits as an alternative to the Petzl Handed Jammers. These have some great advantages and is something that GCRG is to look at as an addition to our Rigging Kits.

Full versions of all SIX films are available to be viewed on the GCRG YouTube Channel along with a selcetion of other previously produced films covering a variety of topics.

Plans are underway to produce more films so look out for more links.

Thanks go to all who were involved with the production of the films and to everyone from the group who took part in the Training Session

The next GCRG Training Session is due in early June and is likely to be another Online Session and then it is hoped to make a return to Normal Training in September.

If you would like any information about GCRG then please email secretary@gcrg.org.uk

GCRG is a registered charity and like everyone else it has been hit hard during the last year with very limited ability for Fund Raising and even though Call Outs have been low during that period Equipment has still needed to be maintained and replaced so if you would like to help out with a donation please use the Donation Button. Any amount is really appreciated.

Last call out of 2020. At 1000 hours on Tuesday 29th December GFRS (Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service) called out GCRG to assist in an underground search for a high risk missing person in the Nailsworth area after smoke was seen coming from a stone quarry on the 'W' Nailsworth Hill, near Nailsworth. Gloucestershire Police and GFRS went to the quarry whilst liaising with GCRG Wardens. Soon after the missing person was found safe and well in Nailsworth. The team were stood down at 1039 hours

A huge thanks to all those who volunteered to assist with the GCRG equipment check. This would have been a mammoth undertaking without everyone pitching in at approx. 85 hours total effort.

Members of the land search team may have an appearance in the next series of ReportedMissing

The first episode will air on Wednesday 19 August at 9pm on BBC One, but our colleagues at Cheshire Police will kickoff the series with a one-off episode this evening. So if you're tuning in tonight, don't forget to hit series record!