As we have the pleasure of working with an interesting range of clients around the world, new recruits to Northern Diver's Specialist Rescue Equipment division have a lot to look forward to when they join us.

For many years now, we've been supplying Outreach Rescue, a North Wales-based provider of rescue and safety training across the emergency services.

As part of their induction, new members of our Specialist Rescue Equipment division usually spend a week with Outreach on a water rescue training course.

Recently, it was new recruit Matt's turn to embark on Outreach's Swift Water Rescue Technician course. The rigorous course is one of numerous offered by Outreach and is attended by emergency services and rescue organisations.

Joining Matt on the course was the London Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team (HART). These teams are found in every Ambulance service in England and Wales, with similar services operating in Scotland and Northern Ireland. HART teams attend the scene of major incidents, including scenarios such as floods and river rescues.

The course was held on sections of the Afon Cegin river and on the Cymyran Strait, which runs between the island of Anglesey and Holy Island, located to the west of Anglesey.

In temperatures as low as -5°C and with plenty of snow around, Matt was kitted up in our F4 drysuit, Metalux® Temperate undersuit, 5mm Arctic Survivor gloves and a prototype pair of boots (currently in development) as he got stuck into exercises around aggressive, defensive and tethered swimming, throw bag and reach rescue, knots, pulleys, wading and the use of sleds.

Matt successfully completed the course, speaking very highly of how it was run and the wealth of experience he's gained. We've no doubt that this will be instrumental as he and the rest of the team work to continue their hard-earned growth in the market.

Next up for the team is the FDIC event in Indianapolis, USA in April, and the month after, the Rescue 3 conference in Cardiff.