UPDATE: Roco Rescue Challenge 2024 has reached full capacity for team participation, but Observers are still welcome. We have created a team waiting list, so please contact us if you are interested in registering your team or plan to come watch the action. Register now!

Roco Rescue Challenge 2024 marks the 31^st Anniversary of North America’s premier Rescue and Training event. Scheduled for October 16-17 at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Roco Rescue Challenge is much more than a competition. At its core, it is a learning event where camaraderie, teamwork, and networking rule the day.

Rescue Challenge’s biggest success and value as a learning event is the immediate feedback the teams receive. Roco’s experienced training cadre provides debriefing following each scenario. Every team receives a detailed report describing their performance at Rescue Challenge and how they can improve. Teams often find that this report provides an excellent roadmap to focus their post-Rescue Challenge training regimen.

When the weather in South Louisiana turns to nice cool days, join us at the world-class Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on October 16-17, 2024, for Rescue Challenge '24.

Space is limited, so enroll early to ensure your team's spot! We welcome all teams, regardless of experience level. Take part in this truly unique event: part learning, competition, and all CHALLENGE.

For more information about Rescue Challenge, click here. To save your spot and register, call (800-647-7626). Observers are welcome; registration is required.

Municipal fire departments looking to challenge their rescue teams should call the Roco office (800-647-7626) for savings on registration.

Additional Resources

• Rescue Challenge Spotlight - Valero Wilmington
• Team Performance Evaluation (TPE™) – How Prepared are You?
• Team Benefits from Rescue Challenge!
• Roco Rescue Challenge 2023 Video
  

This year marked our 30th anniversary of Roco Rescue Challenge – one of the longest-running rescue events in North America! Roco Challenge has always intended to be more than a competition with the primary purpose of learning and sharing ideas. And that was achieved this year with teams from both industrial and municipal sectors participating in the two-day event at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

Confined space and high-angle environments pose many risks; and yes, challenges, for rescue teams. Roco Challenge recognizes these risks and takes them head-on. During this year’s event teams had to deal with six high-angle and confined space rescue scenarios found in industrial and urban environments. Teams faced off head-to-head in the Team Performance Evaluation (TPE). Finally, team members showed off their skills in the Individual Performance Evaluation (IPE).

Challenge scenarios are designed with the goal of teams facing new problems that require out-of-the-box rescue and rigging skills. They included simulated IDLH rescue entries with the use of SAR and SCBA equipment. Also included were single-person and multi-casualty scenarios with a mix of manikins and live victims as patients.

Our congratulations to all the teams who stepped up to the challenges presented by this year's event. Training and practice gained from Rescue Challenge 2023 will result in safer workforces and communities that these teams serve, making everyone's job safer.

Challenge 2023 Participants:

Baton Rouge Fire Department – Baton Rouge, LA


CF Industries – Donaldsonville, LA


Exxon BRPO – Baton Rouge, LA


Frisco Fire Department – Frisco, TX

Placid Refining – Port Allen, LA

In addition to the participating teams, many observers attended from various industries and agencies around the region.

Some of the exceptional performances this year included:
“Top Team” Overall Highest Average for All Scenarios – CF Industries of Donaldsonville, LA.
1st Place Individual Performance Evaluation Station (IPE) – Baton Rouge Fire Department.
1st Place Team Performance Evaluation “Yellow Brick Road” Station – CF Industries of Donaldsonville, LA.

If you missed this year’s Rescue Challenge, join us next year on October 16-17, 2024, at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge. Every year our instructors devise new “surprise obstacles” to challenge teams with hurdles never before tackled.

Rescue Challenge is an outstanding motivational event for rescuers giving them a goal to work towards as well as an incredible, hands-on learning event for all teams.

Is your team ready for the CHALLENGE 2024? (And, if not, our instructors can get them ready!)

Roco Rescue Challenge 2023 marks three decades of North America’s premier Rescue and Training event. Scheduled for October 18-19 at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Roco Rescue Challenge is much more than a competition. At its core, it is a learning event where comradery, teamwork, and networking rule the day.

“Hosting Rescue Challenge is always the highlight of our event calendar, but as you can imagine, this year is special to us. We have been truly honored to have the rescue community support this fantastic event for 30 years…and counting,” says Kay Goodwyn, President of Roco Rescue. Ms. Goodwyn added, “We are also trying to make Rescue Challenge more enticing and affordable to municipal fire departments – we had several fire departments last year, and it was a great addition to the event!” 

In addition to learning and competition, Rescue Challenge meets the OSHA 1910.146 requirement for annual training and covers all six (6) types of confined spaces identified in the standard. However, Rescue Challenge does far more than meet those training requirements. Teams will be thoroughly challenged by the six scored scenarios — including IDLH confined space rescues on air and multi-casualty scenarios which feature live victims with moulage for that extra touch of realism and pressure.

Roco Rescue Challenge was conceived for all rescue teams, regardless of experience level. Every year first-time rescuers work alongside experienced rescue technicians who have regularly attended Rescue Challenge’s 30-year run. While there is a strong competitive element, the event focuses on building and improving skills and fostering a sense of community and camaraderie among rescuers. 

Rescue Challenge’s biggest success and value as a learning event is the immediate feedback the teams receive. Roco’s experienced training cadre provides debriefing following each scenario. Every team receives a detailed report describing their performance at Rescue Challenge and how they can improve. Teams often find that this report provides an excellent roadmap to focus their post-Rescue Challenge training regimen.

On the competitive side, there are three awards for which teams compete. Individual Performance Evaluation is awarded to the team with the highest score on a particular rescue skill or set of skills. What is that skill set? You will find out when you arrive at that station. There is a reason it's called Challenge.

The second award — Team Performance Evaluation — is highly coveted by attending teams. The hardware is presented to the team that travels the farthest with no safety violations on the vaunted Yellow Brick Road scenario. 

Finally, the Top Team award recognizes the team with the highest average score across all scenarios.

When the weather in South Louisiana turns to nice cool days, join us at the world-class Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on October 18-19, 2023, to help celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of Roco Rescue Challenge. Space is limited, so enroll early to assure your team’s spot. We welcome all teams, regardless of experience level. Take part in this truly unique event: part learning, competition, and all CHALLENGE.

For more information about Roco Rescue Challenge, click here. To save your spot and register, click here. Fire departments looking to challenge their rescue teams should call the Roco office (800-647-7626) for more details and savings on registration.

Additional Resources

• Rescue Challenge Spotlight - Valero Wilmington
• Team Performance Evaluation (TPE™) – How Prepared are You?
• Team Benefits from Rescue Challenge!
  
  

We were so excited to see all the applicants for our Fire Department Scholarship Program – we decided to pick 10 instead of 1! The following individuals were selected to attend a Roco Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ Course at no charge at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge. 

Roco Rescue hopes that this free training will help broaden the range of skills in confined space and rope rescue for firefighters and their departments.

Click button below if you are interested in applying for the next Fire Department Scholarship Program selection.

Offer valid for USA-based emergency responders only based on space availability. Must be 18 years or older and physically fit to participate in hands-on rescue exercises. Offer is valid for limited time and subject to change without notice. 

As part of our efforts to support municipal emergency responders, Roco Rescue will be offering quarterly scholarships to our open-enrollment 50-hour Rescue Essentials Courses conducted at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. To be considered, applicants will complete an online form and explain why they are interested in attending a course and how it will benefit them and their department. One student will be selected per quarter. 

Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ Course:

• This 50-hour course is the starting point for rescuers working on rope and in confined spaces. This hands-on training course is for rescuers who respond to emergencies ranging from the depths of a confined space to the heights of an elevated structure or industrial platform.
• Participants will be provided an opportunity to become proficient at utilizing some of the most current equipment in the rescue world while learning and practicing safe, efficient, and proven rescue techniques. These skills will allow them to perform effectively in the rigorous environments faced by urban and industrial rescuers.
• Courses will be conducted at the Roco Training Center (RTC), participants will practice rescue operations from all six (6) confined space types including rescues from elevated vessels and towers. Simulated rescues from IDLH-type atmospheres that require the use of breathing air (SCBA) will also be included. These realistic scenarios can be used to document annual practice requirements as required by OSHA 1910.146.

Roco Rescue hopes that this free training will help broaden the range of skills in confined space and rope rescue for firefighters and their departments.

Offer valid for USA-based emergency responders only based on space availability. Must be 18 years or older and physically fit to participate in hands-on rescue exercises. Offer is valid for limited time and subject to change without notice. 

Additional Resources

• Roco Rescue Videos 
• Using Local Emergency Services vs Contracted Rescue Services