Christophe Lenglos Road Rescue Award

Judging criteria

Categories a) and b)

1. Well Researched

It is important for any initiative to be evidence-based, both in terms of the objectives to be targeted and the messages to be conveyed. There are many cases of well-intentioned initiatives which do not meet this criterion.

2. Innovation

Initiatives must have contributed to improve the quality of road rescue operations or tertiary security by the means of innovative operational techniques, equipment, training resources, or others. Innovation does not necessarily imply that the particular activity must never have been practiced previously. Innovation can simply refer to a local initiative as well as to a brand new project. Particular attention will be paid to the operational improvements generated by the system/initiative implemented to improve and facilitate rescue operations in the event of a road traffic collision.

3. Achievement

No initiative or project should be considered for an award unless its impact has been evaluated and there is clear evidence of it having had a beneficial effect on road rescue or tertiary safety. The impact may not be linked to a particular operational technique or equipment, but may focus on changes in knowledge, attitudes and behavior.

4. Evaluation

Nominations must demonstrate in which way the submitted initiative has contributed to the improvement of technical road rescue. The evaluation should be related to the specific aims and objectives of the scheme or innovation and that these are realistic and achievable, such as a change in knowledge, attitudes, skills or behavior.

5. Commitment and sustainability

It is invariably the case that no initiative is likely to have a positive effect unless it is a committed initiative over a period of time. Thus, the judges will look for evidence of long term commitment, durability, and willingness to be involved over a period of years. This is important because, in general, judges should avoid recognising initiatives or projects which, however innovative, have not yet been fully rolled out, or where there is no clear evidence of a willingness to commit for the long term. This may also include evidence that the project or initiative is adequately financed to achieve its goals over the period set for it.

6. Replicability
Some initiatives or projects are not capable of replication because they are single national initiatives. Most, however, are capable of being reproduced by others and the fundamental purpose of the WRO objectives is sharing knowledge and good practices. It is therefore an important criterion in terms of assessing eligibility.

Categories c) and d)

1. Impact on road rescue or tertiary security Individuals or teams must have contributed to improve road rescue or tertiary security and
evidence must be shown that their efforts have positively impacted road rescue or tertiary security on regional, national or international scale. Individuals or teams have endorsement by peers, colleagues or organisations for their outstanding work in road rescue or tertiary security. The award may honor the lifetime commitment or achievement of an individual who dedicated his life to road rescue or teritary security.

2. Exemplary performance in road rescue or tertiary security Individuals or teams have contributed to efficient and effective action that has led to
saving lives during road traffic collisions or demonstrated consistent performance in regional, national or international rescue challenges over a long period of time.

3. Collaboration, leadership and teamwork

Individuals or teams must have demonstrated leadership, teamwork and ability to effectively collaborate with other persons, teams, organisations or government agencies active in the field of road rescue or tertiary security to impact on policy or developing and enhancing the rescue challenge concept, and promoting the objectives, aims and values shared with the World Rescue Organisation.

4. Training and capacity building

Individuals or teams have contributed to the education and training of emergency responders and rescue workers, shared best practices and knowledge or participated in establishing sustainable training programs or frameworks that improve the overall response capabilities in road rescue operations on a regional, national or international level.

5. Ethics, integrity and inclusivity

Nominated individuals and teams must have shown adherence to the highest ethical standards including but not limited to professional conduct, non-discrimination, human dignity, confidentiality, impartiality, neutrality and fairness.

6. Advocacy and awareness

Individuals or teams have been involved in advocacy efforts to raise public or policy-maker awareness about the importance of road rescue or tertiary security, contributed to influencing policy or legislative changes that improved safety regulations, emergency response protocols or security measures. Individuals or teams have taken the lead or contributed in developing the rescue challenge concept on a regional, national or international level.

No matrix of set criteria is a substitute for the judgement of individual judges who are appointed precisely for the particular level of expertise which they bring to our deliberations. Nonetheless, the criteria will be used to distinguish those schemes which are prima facie eligible from those which ought either to be declined or deferred for a subsequent re-evaluation.

Selection process

The CLRA jury is composed by:

– A member of the WRO executive committee, chairing the jury;
– A member of the WRO technical advisory board;
– A member of the WRO medical advisory board;
– A member of the WRO marketing and funding group;
– A representative of Renault Group.

The secretary or the deputy secretary of the WRO will assist the CLRA jury in drafting reports of the deliberations and in administrative tasks related to the CLRA. The CLRA jury will analyze the eligibility of all nominations received based on the formal criteria and the above-mentioned judging criteria. Based on its analyses, the CLRA jury will determine one nominee in each category and assign points to each nominee based on a predefined form resuming the 6 judging criteria for each category. The result of the ranking established will be kept secret and concealed.

The selection by the CLRA jury must be terminated by the 1st of June latest.

The 4 nominees will be published and advertised on the WRO website from the 1st of June to the 1st of August. The public can vote for their favorite nominee.

The public vote will count for 25% of the final result, the vote of the CLRA jury for 75%.

After the 1st of August, the CLRA jury will determine the final recipient of the award.

The result will be proclaimed at the closing and award ceremony of the annual World Rescue Challenge.

The non-successful nominees will receive a certificate of appreciation.