On 2 February the French MIRG experienced what being winched down from a helicopter in a special suit feels like. The team was lowered from the Civil Security helicopter which is based at “Le Touquet Airport”.

Gerd Buys from the Belgian MIRG team has completed half of his training programme and things are going well. He has written this special report for  the MIRG website.

MIRG-member Tom Van Esbroeck filmed the HUET of the Belgian MIRG. You can watch it on our You Tube channel

After the HUET and survival at sea, the MIRG’s face a new challenge: a helicopter winch training. An important part of the programme as a helicopter will be the main mean of transportation in case of an on board incident.

The MIRGs from the partner countries work hard to be up and ready for the Large Scale Exercise planned in June. The fire men and women are currently doing their Helicopter Underwater Escape Training and Survival at Sea training.

The MIRG-EU project was covered in Provant. A television programme on the European activities of the Province of Antwerp. Watch the whole item on The ATV website (MIRG starts after 4 minutes and 30 seconds).

The Belgian MIRG did its HUET in Rotterdam on 2 December. Watch their session on You Tube.

One of the objectives of the MIRG EU Project is to deliver a large scale exercise to demonstrate the progress and achievements of the Group which is scheduled to take place in June 2014 using a vessel located ‘at sea’.

In September the Calais Fire Service had their helicopter underwater escape training in Marseille. A very important part of the MIRG-EU training programme. Want to know how it went? Watch the video made by fellow MIRG-member Nicolas Leclet on our You Tube channel.

Today representatives of all MIRG-partners put their signature under the Operations Policy Manual. This manual, prepared by the EU (INTERREG IVA 2Seas) MIRG Project Group, provides the framework to support cooperation between partner states when responding to incidents requiring a Fire & Rescue Service response at sea.