MEMBERS of the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group are this week getting to grips with lifesaving firefighting skills as part of a popular weeklong course, described by organisers as their ‘single most rewarding experience’.

The group of 16 young people, aged from 13 to 25, are spending this week with Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service to experience a basic fire and rescue training course.

Known as Salamander, the programme encourages participants to work as a team while building up confidence and self-esteem.

The young people have already had a taster of firefighting skills after beginning the course on Monday, with a packed schedule of activities including using a hose, abseiling, ladder climbing, learning about search and rescue, casualty care, road traffic collision rescue skills and water rescues.

At the end of the course, which runs until Friday at Drove Road fire station, the group will put on a display of their new skills for family, friends and senior fire and rescue service officers.

Watch manager Mark Evans, who is organising the course, said this was the seventh time Salamander had been run for people with Down’s syndrome in Wiltshire.

He said: “The programme is usually aimed at young people who need support or even redirection in their lives, and we use the sessions to highlight the consequences of certain behaviours.

“With this group, we focus on selfesteem and teamwork, allowing the young people to learn new skills and then work with others to achieve their aims.

“It’s also an opportunity for the emergency services to provide some valuable education and safety messages.

“The previous courses we’ve run have been incredibly successful for the young people involved, but they have also been really rewarding for the instructors and helpers.

“The changes we see as the week goes on are amazing, and I’m so pleased that the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group has again secured funding for it. It should be a fantastic week.”

Although Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service runs Salamander, firefighters work in collaboration with the other emergency services to ensure a beneficial and rewarding course is delivered to the young people.

Two police community support officers are taking part representing Wiltshire Police, while two operational crews from the South Western Ambulance Service are also offering up their time and expertise.

Paramedic Phil Griffith said: “I have had some wonderful life experiences – I’ve served with the British Army on operational deployments in Kenya, Bosnia and Kosovo, I’ve worked on frontline ambulances and, more recently, I’ve been an incident commander for the ambulance service for over 13 years.

“However, I can honestly say that, without a doubt, this Salamander course is the single most rewarding experience of my life."