The RESCUE 1 Project was initially conceptualised as a groundbreaking service for the users of Cheshire’s roads and the M6 corridor, providing a multidisciplinary, integrated response, under ATACC, to motorway collisions and other incidents requiring specialist medical rescue skills. 

  ATACC has been developing this concept for a number of years, having provided a similar service during the Common Wealth Games, the Fire Strikes and voluntarily during busy weekend periods. Recognising the usefulness of such a team, on a motorway where a simple collision results in a mile-a-minute tailback and the consequences of secondary RTC, Both Cheshire Police and Fire Services have been keen to formally develop, staff, fund and properly audit a 24 hour team.

From the onset, this project has maintained close links with a wide range of interested parties, including the construction industry. Nuttall John Martin, who have a number of highway projects include the M6 Thelwall Viaduct site. They have made considerable investments in the Rescue 1 project, donating a Ford Ranger, nearly £3k worth of equipment and taken an active interest in training, putting their own employees through the RTACC-C course and making their unique site available for high and difficult access training.

As an integrated team, ALL members will be cross trained in basic aspects of their colleagues’ core skills. We believe cross training encourages the sharing of ideas, identification of training needs and the solutions to many problems. By adopting a holistic approach to road traffic collisions, we hope many more lives may be saved. 

For example, we already have anaesthetists, orthopaedic surgeons, A&E Nurses, ODP’s and Paramedics trained and certified by the Fire Service in vehicle extrication. Training is now well underway to get all remaining team members skilled in scene management, vehicle stabilisation, glass management and the use of specialist cutting and extrication equipment.

Although doctors are part of the overall team, it is intended the team will function normally in the absence of a doctor, with either one of our highly skilled ODP/ODA members or a paramedic with ATACC certification taking the medical lead. 

Rescue 1 will primarily be dispatched by Fire Control. This allows for seamless links to everything from heavy cutting equipment through to collapsed structure specialists.       
There is far more to managing a road traffic scene than simply extricating and treating a casualty. It is envisaged that all personnel will undergo some form of crime scene preservation, traffic safety management and evidence gathering from a police perspective. More news on this site later...