How We Train Our Rescue Teams

MRS Training and Rescue has been in the business of keeping people safe for over one hundred years.

Created in the early 20th century to respond to emergencies in the UK Mining Industry, we developed the specialist skills, experience, and knowledge to work in difficult and potentially dangerous environments. 

Today we harness those skills and experience to deliver rescue services, health and safety consultancy and accredited health and safety training and are trusted by many of the UK’s most recognised companies and brands. 

Our emergency rescue service

We are still the largest private sector rescue company in the UK and are recognised within the Mines Regulations 2014 as a specialist rescue services provider.  No other rescue company, in the public or private sector can compete with the knowledge and experience that we have.

We provide a nationwide specialist rescue service from our seven Training and Rescue Centres across the UK.  To maintain the quality and consistency of service, our centres support each other in times of peak demand.  This approach means we are not reliant on a subcontractor model to provide cover.

Before performing any work on-site, we will arrange a site visit to enable us to discuss specific requirements and allow us to finalise our rescue plan/risk assessments and method statements. In the planning stages, we will be available to offer support, including rescue planning, advising on risk management, and helping to consider the safety elements that can be incorporated ahead of work starting, which all can help to achieve desired objectives.

As well as being able to rescue from confined spaces during an emergency, we can potentially support customers by offering additional services, such as managing contractor inductions, managing permits, and practical health and safety advice, for which there would be no additional charge.

We will support in whatever way we can, so we deliver maximum value from the time our experts are on-site, recognising that their primary function remains responding to unplanned events and emergencies.

Trained rescue operatives

As well as delivering rescue and health and safety services, our operatives are highly qualified trainers, with a whole host of experience in carrying out relevant training, including first aid, working at height and confined space. We have mobile facilities which means this service can be provided on-site.

MRS Training and Rescue is not just a Rescue Services company. We also provide a wide range of safety services, including:

• Health and safety consultancy
• Risk assessments
• Confined space audits
• Equipment sales
• Specialist training courses

Our emergency rescue and response teams

Our people are the backbone of our company, and our technical rescue operatives all have extensive hands-on experience of working in high-risk environments. The specialist rescue service we provide at customer’s sites, ensure we support their workforce to safely undertake their roles, often in challenging situations, providing medical and rescue capability to keep their people safe. 

All MRS staff are qualified and competent trainers and assessors, able to provide the highest levels of training possible for our customers: 

• Are trained and managed to a consistent set of standards
• Able to respond to emergency requirements
• Experts in operating in high risk confined  spaces
• Work flexibly
• Have real-life skills in high-risk situations
• Are multi-skilled – most rescue workers also deliver our range of health and safety training courses
• Use 85% of their time for deployed work – the  rest is for developing competencies
• Are directly employed by MRS – meaning we do not need to subcontract.
   

For any kind of rescue, service providers must know the procedures used to rescue people trapped by various hazards, including fire, explosions, cave-ins, toxic gas, smoke inhalation, free-flowing solids and water entering a confined space.

Due to the importance of confined space and at height technical rescue training, we only hire the best in the business.  As part of our standard recruitment process, we undertake a detailed interview and background check to ensure that the staff we hire are suitably qualified. 

Recruitment of suitably qualified personnel includes:

• Job analysis
• Thorough selection process with strict criteria
• Identification of sources for suitably qualified personnel
• Robust process including interviews, assessments, reference check and medicals
• On-boarding and training
• Post recruitment internal improvement review

New rescue team members are placed into a training programme, where they learn the thorough MRS method. They also gain extra experience in the industry as operational rescue workers, including work and rescue in confined spaces.  This makes them suitably qualified, with a full understanding of the hazards, risks and control measures required to work safely and effectively in confined spaces.
 

Qualifications for our Technical Rescue Teams

A fundamental requirement for any individual working as an MRS operative is to pass the High Risk Confined Space Course and Emergency Rescue & Recovery of Casualties Course. They must also achieve the National Occupational Standard for a rescuer worker which goes far beyond the requirements of the City and Guilds Qualification. All operatives must have the following qualifications:

Many of our rescue teams are qualified training instructors and are trained to the following standards:

Furthermore, our operatives not only have to have the required qualifications, but they must also periodically prove they can apply these skills within an operational environment. They are therefore allowed opportunity to train and develop their practical skills.

• Operatives undergo 15 days of training with breathing apparatus, which includes the SCBA and other specialist recirculation, long duration breathing apparatus for use in various scenarios.
• Each rescue worker undergoes at least four competence assessments per annum, including the wearing of breathing apparatus.
• Our technical at height rescue teams are trained by our own instructors, who are competent to deliver the GWO standard for rescue from wind turbines.
• MRS Operatives undergo a thorough medical annually, including the Chester Step Test for those working in more arduous environments whilst wearing long duration breathing apparatus.
• Training for technical rescue is externally audited by an approved body (e.g. City and Guilds).
• Operational staff are assessed against the full performance requirements of the Level 2 Certificate in Specialised Rescue Operations via four planned simulated practices per annum.
• Face Fit testing on the RPE used.
• They complete risk assessment training.
• CPD records are maintained.

Client testimonial

“Thank you for supporting me with this project, the team you sent were excellent. I have nothing but praise for your teams who supported /guided and offered peer to peer help with the task in hand. I will use you the next time we need this level of support for confined space access and rescue as your team were professional and very knowledgeable in the field of mines rescue / confined spaces and rescue. Thank you again for all your support - I couldn’t have done this strategic project without your support.” Darren Burton AIGEM, Policy Engineer, Cadent