FIREFIGHTERS from West Yorkshire are celebrating a sweeping victory in a national firefighting competition.
A team of five from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service won the National Breathing Apparatus Competition at the Gloucestershire-based Fire Service College.
The annual event tests incident command, the use of breathing apparatus, fire behaviour procedures and the ability of fire crews to stay safe while rescuing people from fire.
Watch manager Steve Naylor, crew manager Simon Blackburn and firefighters David Beddow, Michael Wilkinson and Jon Sugden, who is based at Dewsbury Fire Station, stormed to victory.
They were given the scenario of rescuing a family from their burning home, putting the fire out and ventilating the building – all on the space of 30 minutes.
Crew manager Dave Cookson, who co-organised the event, said: "This year’s competition was hotly contested, with 16 teams competing from around the country.
"It just goes to show how highly trained, skilled and professional firefighters in West Yorkshire are."
"The competition is a fantastic opportunity for firefighters from different brigades to share good practice and promote firefighter safety."
