Greytown rescuers the best in NZ

WORK IT: Team leader Kerry Fenwick (left) has his Greytown team under the pump during the challenge, held in Feilding.

Greytown's crash rescue team has returned home with the spoils from the United Fire Brigades Association National Road Crash Rescue Challenge, held at Manfeild Raceway on the weekend.

The team of volunteer firefighters won top honours at what is recognised as the country's premier event of its type.

With 15 of the top teams competing from around New Zealand, it was by far the best result for the team and a just reward for hours of training and fund-raising.

In a very close competition, the Greytown team finished first overall, followed by Rolleston and Whitianga.

Team leader Kerry Fenwick played a pivotal role, taking out the coveted Top Team Leader title.

To win the title, Greytown had to place near the top in all six disciplines. That was achieved with a win in the Controlled, a third in Entrapped, 6th in Immediate, a win in Team Leader, second Technical and third in Medic.

The win gives the Greytown team automatic entry to the Australasian Road Crash Rescue Challenge, to be held in July at Lardner Park, outside Melbourne, with the opportunity to then go on to the world event in England later this year.

In what seemed almost impossible simulated crash scenes, tool operators AJ Dawes, Steve Perry and Geoff Allen, under Kerry Fenwick's leadership, created space in and around the shattered vehicles to allow medics Sharon Cretney and Matt Wos access into the vehicle to attend trapped and critical patients. All patients were extracted within the given timeframes.

In the Trauma event, Sharon Cretney and Matt Wos proved to be among the best, placing second in what was also a well contested set of scenarios.

Denis Fenwick, manager of the Greytown Volunteer Fire Brigade Road Crash Rescue Team, said members were grateful for the enormous contribution made by staff and management of Wairarapa Scrap Metals for supplying wrecked cars to allow them to perfect the skills needed for challenges.