Trackside Marshals opinion of Rescue Crew?

[Teletubby]

I'm not sure about the wisdom of asking but......

I'm interested to hear opinions of Rescue Crew from anyone working trackside. As BARC crew we have had an amount of negative feedback, not specifically aimed at us but generally at crews. BARC HQ Rescue have been trying to involve trackside marshals more and more, hence the days that DarrellB mentioned in the 'grading' thread.

What should we be doing, or what shouldn't we be doing?

Digs a hole and awaits the incoming fire!

Martin

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by Teletubby
I'm not sure about the wisdom of asking but......

Digs a hole and awaits the incoming fire!

Martin

No need to worry - the first fire is friendly!

In my whole year's experience of marshalling I've come to respect the professionalism of the rescue crews. Now can I have a lie down in the van?

Seriously, though....

At Oulton, new marshals on their first day at the circuit are given a guided tour, which involves a walk round the circuit looking at every post & a quick look at the rescue unit, medical centre & race control,etc. It's well worth doing; all part of the team-building process.

[Marshal]

I'm always impressed with the work done, on the few occasions I've experienced it first hand, the only constructive critiscism I'd make is sometimes there could be more work done on establishing communications with those already attending the incident. However I do accept that usualy when you guys are called its all a little pressurised

[rick vaux]

You people ( watch out for the scud )!!
I have been marshalling three years now,and have the pleasure or disspleasure, which ever way you look at it,of working with rescue crews during major incidents.I understand that people deal with pressure in different ways,some may stop and think,some may jump in and do the correct thing,and some jump in with both feet and confuse the issue.One such incident cropped up at Brands in 99,F renault ,140 mph barrel roll etc, i was the second to arrive followed by the powder etc, driver was ok,but i told him not to move etc,silly sod kept nodding like a dog!Then the FD arrived plus the suits, there were too many people around.My only problem with the RC was one member started to tell the driver ,who, allready in shock,how high he had gone ! now to me common, would have said keep reasuring,keep talking to him, but not about the incident please.
Another incident in the porsche cup last season at Brands,going up to druids, car spins , car collects another ,car hits wall, car gets hit again and comes to rest on armco ten yards from us.The driver was away with the fairies,the other driver out looking at the damage to his car.Again FD car arrives suits arrive, you guys arrive,we are watching the back end due to fluid dripping from the engine,didnt know if petrol or water,on to a broken pipe, you guys dealt with the driver in your usual way,but what got me was the fact the car could have gone up in a flash. My point here, is to limit the amount of personell around the car, to only the ones who need be there.The suits only in my opinion,need to be in the back ground doing what they do, not getting involved with the incident at the sharp end so to speak.All in all though,i`m glad on race day to be a part of a team that act with such skill and pride and do a job so well.I think we all need a congratulatory pat on the back.Well done guys.( we still take the rise out of you though)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Teletubby]

Rick,

We are obviously missing out on part of the fun then! At BARC meetings we never get the suits getting close enough to see what's going on, let alone get toasted! :0)Still we can live in hope! I've never quite seen the need for all those people but at the time you just do what you do, when your'e clearing up it is astonishing how many 'non-essential' people seem to have arrived. Why? Is it just the same as people who rubberneck on motorways?

Martin

PS. You may take the rise out of us but who's getting wet? :0)

[Stephen Green]

Hmmm, nasty comment about getting wet there

In fact it is the job of the Incident Officer on that post to make sure the RU have adequate fire cover, yet room to move about and get on with their job. I'm afraid at any major incident there will be those who run down the track to 'view' and treat the incident as a free for all. Once again it is the job of the Incident Officer to clear those non essential people away from the scene, failing that give them a broom and put them to work!

[Dave Brand]

My first reply was truncated - you can't keep a good curry waiting! Carrying on from where I left off:

You seem to be concerned that there is some sort of an 'us & them' situation between the marshals out on the track & the rescue units. That's certainly not the case at Oulton; much, indeed most, of the pre-meeting, er, how can I put this, badinage, takes place around the rescue unit vans. Some of the members of the rescue crew occasionally do a day's marshalling on the bank with us mere mortals.

Good point in your later post about 'non-essentials'. As far as I am concerned, if there's nothing more I can do once the rescue unit has arrived, I'll go & do something else......yes, Stephen, that 'something else' will probably be sweeping the track!

[rick vaux]

To be honest Dave, i have never come across a them and us situation.At Snet last year for the night race, several marshals were talking to the r/c,we all got on very well.I suppose due to the nature of your work,marshals and the rescue crews only ever get to meet during the day at Breakfast,lunch,incidents and bar.We all cant really stop and have a chat during an incident,i think leaning on your broom handle with fag in mouth may be fround upon !So the chance to get to know each other is limited.It was mentioned once at s/stone that the flags look down at people,again i have had no problems with them at all.
Cheers.
Rick.
PS hope your van leaks!!!

[DarrellB]

It can sometimes seem like there is a them and us situation which stems from the fact that at most circuits the rescue units are located some distance from the marshals posts and therefore do not get much chance to mingle. This problem can then lead to situations at incidents where it can seem like the unit crew is taking over from the guys and girls on the bank.

The best run incidents involve all the team carrying out their relevant duties under the control of the IO on the post and the IC on the unit and this emphasises the need for good communication between all parties.

As has been said previously it is all the unnecessary people which hover around an incident feeling self important and in need of being involved which could be done without.

[AndyF]

All I can saw about the rescue crews is:-

The three times I have marshalled an event, the Rescue Crew always won the raffle!

[DarrellB]

Originally posted by rick vaux
PS hope your van leaks!!!

The only problem when its raining is that we have to turn on the wipers to see all the poor unfortunate marshal outside. The other problem is when its really cold ....then we have to turn the heater up.

Of course most people forget that all the rescue crews started out on the bank at one time or another and many still do the odd day outside if it cannot be helped

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by DarrellB


The only problem when its raining is that we have to turn on the wipers to see all the poor unfortunate marshal outside.

.....not forgetting the coffee stains down the front of your pristine overalls when you're racing to get to an incident before we've sorted it!

[rick vaux]

Ok 2-1 to you.!

[wickedwitch]

Can't say too much here as my boyfriend is on the rescue crew and when I'm cold and wet on the banks he usually waves to me from the warmth of the unit (grrrrrrr).

At Mondello the RU and the marshals mix all the time, because they were all once marshals on the banks and they know the marshals well, but there is still a bit of an "us and them" feeling on the banks because they are the elite bunch who do all that extra training, get all the action and never get wet or cold.

On quieter days at Mondello they tend to take over even the more mundane marshalling tasks out of sheer boredom, and I for one have never had too much of a problem with this - but I know that some marshals on the banks feel that the RU just show up unnecessarily to grab all the action. Of course they're brilliant at what they do, and when they're needed then no-one else will do, but at Mondello they tend to scramble to every little incident.

If I have a gripe with the RU it's that they keep poaching all the best marshals and now that they've doubled the RU requirements for most Mondello meetings, none of these guys ever get the time to go back on the banks. They're the best and most experienced marshals we have, with a lot of knowledge to impart. Novice marshals could learn a lot from these guys, if only they got the chance.

[Stephen Green]

Well, I've just ploughed my way through the whole thread and there's one thing that sticks out like a sore (orange?) thumb. There is a friendly rivalry between marshals and rescue unit guys, but at the end of the day we are all just that, marshals!

Ok, so the van might be nice and warm, and possibly dry (where did I leave that screwdriver?) but when push comes to shove I have always found the rescue guys will join in and have a laugh. Mind you, if they win the raffle at Brands they do come in for serious stick!!!

[Richard Sneader]

I was present at the unfortunate incident at Brands last year trying to save a marshals life who died.
I stepped in when this marshal collapsed as everyone thought he had fainted and due to my background training being a medic in the forces for 8 years and still involved today with St Johns Ambulance I realised he was having a heart attack.I had no equipment with me but due to the proffesional swift response of the Brands rescue unit They got all the equuipment out of the wagon I needed and assisted me untill an ambulance from the circuit med centre arrived and took over.
Again at the Octagon training day at Brands the other day for the midweek marshals one of the Kent firemen who were doing the fire training got petrol in his eye. Agian a swift response from one of the rescue unit lads there with the wagon gave me fluid to wash his eye out.
So to sum up The Brands rescue unit have a good relationship with our marshals but I have come across a couple of units who just dont listen to anyone and just get in the way of marshals.
Richard Sneader...

[Teletubby]

Richard,

I hope it's not one of the BARC HQ units you've had a problem with, if so then PM me. Normally we just want to get them job done and disappear back to our post so we can have more coffee and donuts!

The reason for me starting the thread was that at a couple of incidents in 2000 we had a distinct impression that we were not at all popular! We thought that perhaps we had missed something but then surmised that 'a' crew somewhere had previously upset the Marshals

To make you feel better, two of our 3 units do in fact leak ;0( But the heaters do work (eventually!!!))

Darrell, of course, wouldn't notice as he's usually asleep!

cheers

Martin

[DarrellB]

Martin

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Darrell

[pinki]

I have heard that you can only be a member of the BRSCC SE Rescue Unit if you meet the following criteria ....

Can eat 3 Brands Dog Burgers in one sitting

Can fart 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac

And have no sense of smell.

Still that's what Andy Lingham told me

[DarrellB]

Pleased to see that all the responses so far have been favourable as we try our best to fit in, though maybe you haven't met Martin in the flesh yet a frightening thought

[Teletubby]

Darrell, however, is beating them off with a stick!!!!

NOT!

[Pete Howarth]

At the training day at Cadwell in January all Incident groups where shown some of the equipment carried and given a talk from the crew chief and 2 other crew members about the role of the marshal when the unit turns up.
I think this went along way to remove them and us opinions.

[Marshal]

Hi Pete and welcome to 10-10ths.

I have to agree that things like that are the best way of promoting integration, at a slightly less stressfull time than when we usually meet. I've no doubt that my understanding and interaction with the rescue crews at Coombe will be significantly enhanced by the fact I've just started working in the same office as one of the rescue crew cheifs. Small world isn't it

[Teletubby]

At Thruxton we have run a couple of events over the last 12 months where we invite any Marshals who want to to come along to a 'have a go at this' day for exactly those reasons stated.

The day starts with a few scenarios where everyone is split up into teams and has to act as a rescue crew to deal with a range of injuries. The end of the day, after a safety briefing, is when we let everyone who wants to have a go at destroying cars.

The feedback we've had has led us to run 2 days on the 2nd and 3rd of March. Most peoples view is that we're welcome to it as a duty!

The other interesting comment, made by a number of people, is that they can now appreciate how easily a 45 minute race stoppage can occur! Now, just to get race control to communicate to everybody when it actually happens......... oh well I think I'll probably invent perpetual motion first!!!! ;0)

[Stephen Green]

Communicate...now that's an interesting theory! It would be helpful if all marshals posts had telephones that work. If so, race control could use the land lines to 'spread the word' as it were. It's not wise to use radios as we all know, due to the large numbers of spectators (and marshals) who carry scanners.

Personally, I think the rescue guys do a great job and form an integral part of the whole marshalling team.

Peter, a warm welcome to the forum, glad to see you made it to ten-tenths.

Stephen.