Global Rescue Water Incident Team
(GRWIT)

As we've seen over the past few years, the number of Water Rescue Incidents in both the UK and abroad have been steadily increasing. In response to this fact, GRWIT are currently developing its Swiftwater Rescue & Flood Response Team, to conform to National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) 1006/1670 standards.

Global Rescue Water Incident Team – Statement of Intent.

GRWIT will seek to recruit members from various backgrounds (Military, Mountain Rescue, people with specialist skills, Police, Fire & Rescue Service, etc) to be able to provide specialist teams to work on their own and with other agencies at flood, swiftwater and search incidents. We will be able to take the lead or provide support at incidents as required. We will respond nationally to flooding and search calls as well as swiftwater incidents within North Wales.

We will have a training, recording, certification, accreditation and auditing program installed, to be able to demonstrate and prove capability. We will conform to team typing models and seek recognition from agencies nationally.

• GRWIT will put in place a Tally and nominal role information system to help control site safety and provide information to other agencies and will have a recognised command and control structure.

• GRWIT will seek to train with other agencies to have a good idea of their working practice.

• Within the voluntary sector, GRWIT will seek to forge links with other rescue teams and promote a common code of practice.

Global's policy of recruiting members from all agencies ensure that we are able to work with other agencies smoothly with an understanding of how other agencies/groups work. This should also help with communications between groups and hopefully encourage other groups to call us to incident.

We have Technical and Training support from Rescue3 and have a number of experienced people involved with the project.

GRWIT train every first Thursday of the month along with joint exercises and training with other agencies.

UPDATE
16/06/08 - GRWIT has just placed an order with Avon Inflatables for a 4.5m rescue RIB after successful grant funding. Pictures will be available upon delivery but the boat we've just ordered is similar to the one below;

UPDATE
27/06/08 - 3 Members of GRWIT perform a thorough search of the upper Afon Llygwy for a missing person. Nothing found.

UPDATE
29/06/08 - 2 Members of GRWIT perform a kayak search of the Nant Ffrancon for the same missing person. Nothing found.

UPDATE
22/09/08 - Following the successful assessment process for the Water Search Project, 3 handlers and 2 dogs became qualified. We are the first team in the Mainland UK to have dogs qualified in this type of work. GRWIT are fully capable of supporting the deployment of the Water Search Team to any areas of the UK.

UPDATE
27/09/08 - GRWIT attended a meeting of voluntary SAR teams to discuss a co-ordinated response to flooding throughout the UK. The result of this meeting saw the formation of the Inland Flood Rescue Association (IFRA). IFRA will seek to promote joint working practices and support of Inland Water Rescue Teams. GRWIT aim to take a key role in the development of this association. The members who attended the meeting included GRWIT, Mercia Inshore SAR, Midlands Inshore SAR, EVRA & Hovercraft UK SAR

UPDATE
09/10/08 - GRS receive a RIB, donated by Paul Davies of Sea Training International. Rob Murray accepts the donation on behalf of GRS.