To find out more about the benefits of Challenge for your team, call 800-647-7626 and join us next year!

Take in all the action and discover what your team may be missing! With Roco Rescue Challenge 2015 right around the corner, we wanted to share some of the benefits of attending as an observer. Here’s what one of our observers had to say about last year’s event…

"You just can't get everything you need out of a classroom. Coming out and seeing the teams performing different techniques and scenarios allowed us to gain insight that will be used to kick-start our team."

Don't miss the rescue team event of the year! 

Call us at 800-647-7626 and reserve your ticket today.

Rescue teams from across the country will participate in realistic confined space rescue exercises designed by Roco’s top instructors. And, although Challenge is more of a learning event than a competition, trophies will be awarded to the teams with top scores for individual skills proficiency and the infamous “Yellow Brick Road” rescue-relay scenario.

Roco Rescue Challenge meets the annual rescue practice requirements of 1910.146 while providing realistic practice drills in all six confined space types. Written documentation will be provided to each team following the event.

"If you've been through a Roco class, whether it was Roco certification to NFPA 1006, or OSHA compliance training, our new Industrial Rescue III course can be the next step for you and your team. This course will challenge students (and rescue teams) to solve real-world confined space rescue scenarios building on previously learned skills, while introducing new techniques for more complex confined space incidents. 

This scenario-based training will serve as annual compliance documentation (NFPA & OSHA) for confirming rescue capabilities and skills proficiency in various confined space and elevated evolutions. So, if you’re looking for the next step for you or your team, check out Roco’s Industrial Rescue III  for advanced confined space rescue training!" states, Dennis O'Connell, Chief Instructor and Director of Training.

OPPD (Omaha Public Power District) rescue team members were put to the test by the elements and Roco instructors during a recent rescue class at their facility. During the week-long class, they experienced high temperatures and rain - all while working at varying heights! However, it provided to be a great learning opportunity for the team. “The training as a whole was excellent, top-notch.” quoted Jeremy Kellner, a senior I/C technician at NOS and leader of the rope rescue team.

Here's a story about the training that appeared on the company's website. Roco instructors for the class were Troy Gardner, Robert Kauer, and Dominic Velasquez. 

Construction is well underway on expansions and improvements to the Roco Training Center (RTC.) The goal is to add new confined space shapes and configurations in order to simulate an even wider variety of scenarios that rescuers may face in the real world. 

An additional two-story container configuration is being erected east of the pipe rack module. This will add 10 vertical confined spaces, 2 horizontal confined spaces, and 7 more student platforms for staging rescue equipment and training evolutions. The new area will be under a covered roof, making rescue training on the prop a bit more user-friendly in our south Louisiana climate!

Nearly complete is the new stairway on the south side of the prop that will provide additional access to the structure and more anchor points for rescue students taking courses at RTC. With these new features, the prop is increasing its student capacity by approximately 33 rescuers per day.

Last year a boiler simulator was added which focuses on extremely tight (12" x 15") horizontal confined spaces found at many industrial settings, old and new.

"Roco is constantly surveying our students to find out what their particular problem spaces are," said Dennis O'Connell, Director of Training for Roco. "We try to duplicate those confined spaces at RTC, so students can practice the skills they will need if a problem occurs at their site. This way, they get a more accurate experience."

The anticipated completion date for the additions to RTC is April 15, 2015. It is sure to add a few more challenges for Roco students who are familiar with the prop, as well as a few more conveniences.