Looking back at 10 years of Rescue 2

Approaching Rescue 2’s 10 year company anniversary is the ideal time to catch up with some of the Rescue 2 head office team: Andy Green, Sarah Capelin, Becca Page and Owen Howells.

In this interview, we get some insights into their everyday work, find out more about the people behind the business and reflect on some key developments over the last 10 years.

Could you give us a brief overview of the last 10 years? What have been the biggest changes?

Andy: The first thing that comes to mind is how much we’ve grown in the last 10 years! Starting out in the early days with one vehicle, a couple of BA (Breathing Apparatus)  sets and all the necessary confined space access and egress equipment, and how it’s grown with the support of Shaun Jackaman (the Managing Director) and the company as a whole.

In my view, the growth is due to the experience and hard work of our Rescue Technicians, their perseverance and our ability to converse with clients at all levels - from the personnel working on the ground up to managers. We’ve grown to be confident with our knowledge and understanding of the requirements of confined space rescue, these days, for us it’s become all about adding value to the client. Not only do we supply Confined Space rescue, but we are providing additional assets and safety systems to ensure the works go ahead safely.

We work to a proven model. It’s about understanding what the client needs, not only to provide a service as part of a regulation. We want to go beyond that by adding genuine commitment to that service, and clients now know when they come to us they’re getting that cost effective holistic approach.

We’ve gone from initially working in sewers to now supplying a safety and rescue provision to multiple sectors and industries. We’ve taken on board each client’s bespoke requirements and given them exactly what they need. Some of the systems we utilise include rope rescue, davit arm retrieval systems, and Arizona vortex to name but a few. With this type of equipment, we’ve been able to put all these different scenarios in place, this has kept us that one step ahead of other rescue providers.

Another thing to mention is the growth of the team here. Becca was the last to join, and that was 3 and a half  years ago, so we’ve been working together for a long time. It’s a great working environment with an excellent team ethic. There’s plenty of laughter and energy in the office, but that’s absolutely needed when working in such a busy environment. We deal with over 100 Rescue Technicians and over 120 clients, so it can get stressful at times. Every job is nurtured and follows a proven working model to make sure all risk assessments and teams are in place when they need to be. It’s 24/7, seven days a week, 365 days a year so you’ve got to be able to get on well with your colleagues and share a joke!

Whilst the foundations of our work have stayed the same in the last 10 years, certain aspects of our work have evolved. For example, if someone wants a confined space rescue in the middle of a field on a tower 100 metres up with only a 2m diameter platform we can do it – and this is due to the expertise, resources, skills and equipment we have and that’s been built on over the last decade. We’ve got a can-do attitude and we will find a solution to ensure that the contractor works safely for the duration of the works. Because of the systems and due diligence in place, combined with the personal development of the team, we are always rescue ready and at the top of our game.

Are there any particular jobs you are proud of?

Owen: There’s such a wide range of industries and jobs that we cover so it’s difficult to choose one. We’ve been predominantly in sewers and waste management industries, there’s not a sector we don’t cover. We go from rubbish tipping halls through to the food industry, we’ve worked with the MOD on their vessels when they come into dock. We’ve branched out more on the medical front and have for example provided onsite medical cover for music videos.

Andy: All jobs we attend are different, which makes each day interesting, this is exactly where my passion lies – we will find a way to make it work. And if we haven’t got the tools or expertise at that time, we will find a way to get it. That way we can make sure the business keeps evolving, but in a safe manner!

What sets Rescue2 apart from their competitors?

Andy: All the Rescue Technicians that we use are experienced, either from the Armed Forces, Fire Service or Ambulance services, so they’re all front-line people, used to dealing with emergencies. They know how to respond in an emergency and follow our protocols.  In my opinion, just completing a 5 day Rescue and Recovery course does not make you a competent Rescue Technician. You need years and years of experience. People don’t know how to react until they’re put in that difficult situation. This job definitely makes you see life in a different way.

Sarah: We are lucky all of our business is from reputation and recommendation.  They know that we will look after them and take care not only of the core job, but also all those little extra things like welfare vans, teas and coffees, or any additional equipment, so they don’t have to.

Owen: Right from the initial enquiry, we ask the right questions to work out what exactly it is the client needs and avoid any potential hiccups – a common example would be the issue with beards, not necessarily something that people think about beforehand, so we’re there to guide and advise them along the process. Where possible we do a site visit and conduct a rescue scenario appertaining to the clients work they will be undertaking.

There have also been occasions where our teams have assisted with immediate medical intervention at road traffic collisions while on route or whilst undertaking rescue provision on site.

Andy: Another added benefit is that we’ve got the equipment here on site, which we can provide as a cost-effective solution as part of the job, even for just a couple of days, rather than going via a hire company who quite often have a minimum loan time of a week. We also work with other rescue teams, integrate into their existing teams and share our knowledge with them.

I think the confidence that we have in our service, right from that initial first phone call, instils confidence in our clients that we will deliver.

Sarah: It’s also worth mentioning that having our sister company Alpha Training deliver confined space training is another benefit to our clients. Internally, we are supported by our Resource Management Team (RMT) which gives us greater flexibility in terms of equipment, which ultimately benefits the client.

What are some of the challenges you’re facing?

Owen: There are the obvious challenges that are out of our control, such as the COVID pandemic, which disrupted a number of jobs on our clients’ side, or bad weather, where we know that they will cause delays.

Andy: We have a great team of Rescue Technicians, but we can always do with more . It’s a logistical challenge to keep all of our technicians trained and up to speed on using the latest equipment. This is key in my opinion, and something we’re always working on. To support this technicians conduct monthly CPD (Continual Personal Development) and Rescue 2 provide a yearly CPD training session here at head office to ensure their skills and knowledge are maintained.

Sarah: The logistics of getting the right team with the right experience and skill set for the right time and place is an ongoing challenge and there are a lot of moving parts on any job – it feels like solving a massive jigsaw, and it’s certainly keeping me on my toes.

Andy: I think there’s also something around the industries we work with actually needing to understand the regulations and the potential implications of not following them – such as ending up in a court of law. We are happy to consult to ensure their needs and requirements are met.

Parting thoughts

For us, it really is all about getting teams out that are suitably trained and that we continue going above and beyond client expectations by offering innovative solutions.