Teams

SDIS 44 -France

Founded in 2014 to participate in the WRC 2015 in Lisbon, our team has since participated in 9 French championships, which it has won 6 times, as well as 7 world championships.

We are looking forward to facing the best teams in the world once again, but also to sharing and exchanging with all the competitors.

SDIS 17 France

Our team was created in 2008 to compete in the WRC in Cardiff. Since its creation, the team has been present in all WRCs except in 2017 and 2018. We were French champions in 2016 for the 1st edition of the French national challenge , as well as in 2023 and 2024. This year the team has just finished 2nd and qualified for the 2026 WRC. We look forward to meeting you to exchange, share and spend good times together.

RSB Lisboa – Portugal

The Vehicle Extrication Competition Team of the Lisbon Fire Brigade (Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa – RSB Lisboa) is one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized teams in the field of road traffic collision rescue and extrication.

Led by Team Leader Miguel Duarte, the team is composed of highly skilled and experienced professionals: technicians Fernando Mafra, João Silva, and Vítor Gomes, along with medics Diogo Lourenço and Tiago Correia. Together, they represent the very best in advanced rescue techniques and rapid intervention in complex and high-risk scenarios.

The team first made its mark on the international stage by winning the World Championship in 2015, a remarkable achievement they repeated in 2023, solidifying their status as a global benchmark in extrication. These victories are far from isolated—over the years, the team has accumulated numerous podium finishes in top-level international competitions, showcasing unmatched consistency and excellence.

Rescue Team DVD Jastrebarsko – Croatia

Rescue Team DVD Jastrebarsko is a specialized unit within the volunteer fire department of Jastrebarsko, Croatia. The team is highly trained in technical rescue operations, with a primary focus on road traffic accident response, vehicle extrication, and complex rescue scenarios.

Known for their professionalism and dedication, the team regularly participates in national and international rescue competitions. In 2023, they achieved first place in the Holmatro Rescue Challenge in Karlovac, becoming the best team among Croatian professional and volunteer units. They continued their success in 2024 by winning the prestigious Croatia Rescue Challenge, earning recognition as one of the top technical rescue teams in the region.

In addition to their competition success, the team has been recognized for real-life heroic interventions, such as the rescue of multiple victims from severe car accidents, for which they were awarded the Firefighting Act of the Year by the Croatian Firefighting Association.

Driven by volunteer spirit, different professions, professionalism, and a commitment to saving lives, the Rescue Team DVD Jastrebarsko serves as a role model for other firefighting units in Croatia and beyond.

UNIDAD DE RESCATE VEHICULAR – CBVCDE – PARAGUAY

The Vehicle Rescue Unit (Unidad de Rescate Vehicular) of the Volunteer Fire Department of Ciudad del Este (Cuerpo de Bomberos Voluntarios de Ciudad del Este) was established in 2015 and it is a founding member of the Paraguayan Vehicle Rescue Association (Asociación Paraguaya de Rescate Vehicular – APR) . The team has participated in 7 National Competitions, winning the 2024 National Rescue Challenge and qualifying for the WRC Croacia 2025.

We are excited about this participation and believe it will be a great experience and learning opportunity, in addtion to socializing and exchanging experiences with the other participants.

AVON FRS – UK

We are an experienced team from Bristol, England with a passion for vehicle extrication. We have won various regional competitions in the UK and have also won the Heavy Rescue competition several times at the Uk National Competition. We are excited to have been invited to Croatia and compete against various teams across the world.

Blackheart Extrication team – USA

Blackheart Extrication team is made up of members from Miami Dade Fire Department. The team has been competing since 2011 with only 1 original member still competing. The trauma team is also made up of MDFR firefighters, with one of them on both extrication and trauma. The Trauma team has been competing since 2016.

Palm Beach County – Extrication Team USA

The PBC Punishers re-established Palm Beach County Fire Rescue’s extrication team in 2018. Since then, they have claimed three national championships and represented the department at three World Rescue Challenge (WRC) events—France (2019), Luxembourg (2022), and Spain (2023).

The current team includes:

Incident Commander: Lt. Greg Tabeek
Medic: FF Ben Lebish
Technicians: Capt. Mike Peper, Capt. Anthony Hammer, Capt. Cody Nevad, Lt. Frank Mason, DE Zach Shepard
Alternate: FF Nick Pope

The Punishers take pride in promoting excellence in vehicle machinery rescue, providing education both within Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and to other organizations through national and international competitions.

Markham Extrication Team – Canada

Based in Southern Ontario, the Markham Extrication Team is a passionate group of Canadian firefighters formed in 2020 to better serve their community. With a wide range of experience and diverse backgrounds, the team is committed to continuous learning, sharing knowledge, and delivering high-quality training.

Proud to represent Canada on the world stage, the team competes internationally while helping elevate rescue standards at home.

Dubai Police SAR team – U.A.E

Dubai Police Search and Rescue team is a highly trained unit based in Dubai, specializing in vehicle extrication, disaster response, and advanced rescue operations. Known for their rapid deployment and technical precision, the team operates across diverse and challenging environments—on land and at sea.

Their work reflects Dubai Police’s commitment to operational excellence, continuous development, and international best practices in emergency response. Through rigorous training and real-world experience, the team remains prepared to save lives under the most demanding conditions.

TEAM TAIWAN

Hello everyone!

” Rescue is our mission, and people are our priority!”

We come from Taiwan. Our members are all full time dedicated firefighters with passion and enthusiasm who keep improving rescue skills and knowledge through hard training in order to lower risks and give the best care for the people!

It is a great honor for us to participate in the World Rescue Competition 2025 and learn from all the best rescue teams around the world. We will do our best in the WRC and also hope to bring back more techniques and ideas to share with firefighters of Taiwan.

Finally, Please do visit Taiwan, the place with the warm hospitality and great food. HO DA LA ~(Stands for “Cheers” in Taiwanese)

IC LAI,CHANG-CHIH (Ryan)

Tech1 SU,JIA-YI (Vincent)

Tech2 LI,HAN-CHENG (Tim)

Tech3 KUO,SHIN-YOW (Craig)

Medic1 CHANG,SHENG-TSUNG (Sam)

Medic2 TSAI,CHENG-HAN (Roy)

Reserve player TSAI,HE-SHUNG(OTTO)

Team Tallahassee – USA

Team Tallahassee was established in the late 90’s earning top honors in regional, National, and International events through much of the early 2000’s. After a lengthy hiatus, the current team reestablished the program in 2022 and are currently in their 3rd year of competition. This will be the second consecutive year they will be a part of the US contingent participating in the World Rescue Challenge. They look forward to competing against the best teams in the world and the opportunity to compete for a world championship.

Team members:

IC LT Jake Roberts

Tech LT Reid “Lambo” Lamb

Tech LT Brad “Gary” Yates

Tech LT Michael Lihach

Interior tech/second medic ENG Tim Vernon

Primary Medic ENG Luke Gray

Largo Fire Rescue Vehicle Extrication Team (LXT) – USA

The Largo Fire Rescue Vehicle Extrication Team (LXT) is a passionate and forward-thinking group committed to redefining modern extrication practices. Focused on patient-centered extrication, LXT champions innovative techniques that emphasize the safe and efficient removal of patients—placing their care above all else during vehicle rescue operations. Through continuous training and education, the team aims to set a new industry standard and inspire others to adopt a patient-first mindset.

Representing LXT at the World Rescue Challenge 2025 in Croatia are:

• Lt. Billy Stark – Incident Commander (IC)

• Kyle Parker – Technician

• Dane Matta – Technician

• John Stima – Technician

• Cristina Lamb – Medic

• Even Seabolt – Medic

This skilled and diverse team brings a blend of tactical expertise, medical precision, and a shared commitment to excellence. LXT proudly serves their community while also serving as educators and advocates for improved extrication strategies worldwide.

Extrication Team BRNO – Czech

Our team was founded in 2016 and regularly began participating in competitions in the Czech Republic according to the rules of this country. In 2022, we were the champions of the Czech Republic. In 2024, the team finished 2nd at the Czech Championship. In 2025, the team decided to participate in the World Rescue Challenge Croatia. This year, the team participated in the international competition in Milevsko, which is the only one in the Czech Republic organized according to world rules, and the SMURD competition – Romanian National Challenges. We look forward to meeting you to exchange experiences, share experiences and spend pleasant moments together.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 – Extrication team

PVJ Tuzla Technical Rescue Team is a specialized unit within the professional fire department of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The team has participated on a few national challenges in Croatia and proudly represented city of Tuzla and country BiH.

Team members:

Incident commander: Zlatan Hadžiabdić (IC)
Technician: Mustafa Humčaković, Emir Zonić and Azur Jahić
Primary medic: Senad Ahčić
Second medic: Zvjezdan Jurić

World rescue challenge 2025 in Croatia is a first competition of such type for a firefighter team. We are grateful for being invited as only Bosnian team and compete against other teams across the world. We believe it will be a great experience and opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills with the other participants.

SWFRS Bridgend team

SWFRS Bridgend team is a developing team with new members to the squad even though the team has been competing for over the last 20 years + The team have been competitive at National and international level, with the focus on development. The team has successfully developed over 20 individuals over the teams existence which have provided SWFRS with individuals that have feedback National and world best practices to operations and helped shape the way the service delivers RTC road rescue to the communities of South Wales.

Bucharest Extrication Team

Introducing the Bucharest Extrication Team, founded in 2013 not just to win competitions, we set out to test our limits, build a strong team, and have some fun doing it! We’re a team that’s picked up plenty of awards back home, but our proudest moment came when we grabbed 3rd place in the Trier 3 scenario at the 2023 Lanzarote competition. That victory? It just fueled our passion to get even better!

But it’s not all work and no play—we’ve got personalities as big as our ambitions!

Meet the Crew:
Lucian Ciongaru – The fearless Team Leader who keeps the squad motivated and the coffee flowing!
Valentin Stanciu – Our Commander, aka “The Mastermind.” When he’s not strategizing, he’s probably figuring out how to rescue us from a team pizza debate!
Tech Wizards:
Sorin Catalin Sora, Alexandru Gavriloiu, and Andrei Ilă – Our trio of technical specialists. They can fix just about anything… except our bad puns.
Medics:
Bogdan Mihalache and Mihai Radu – These guys are always ready to save the day and keep us in top shape. Their motto: “No injury, no problem!”

Ionut Iote – Our Coach and secret weapon. He’s got more strategies than we’ve got tools in the van!

Whether it’s on the competition floor or at a team barbecue, we’re all about teamwork, good vibes, and pushing ourselves to the limit

Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Representing the South Island of New Zealand, this team from Fire and Emergency NZ is proud to compete in our very first World Rescue Challenge. As the current national champions, we bring a strong mix of skill, dedication, and teamwork to the international stage.

Our team is made up of members from six different fire stations — a unique blend of both career and volunteer firefighters. This diversity gives us a well-rounded approach to rescue, combining experience from a wide range of emergency response environments.

We’re here not only to compete but to learn, grow, and bring the latest global rescue techniques back home to benefit our communities. For us, this challenge is more than a competition — it’s a chance to represent New Zealand, push our limits, and connect with the world’s best in road crash rescue.

Team Leader – Hamish ‘Head’ Hesselin

Medic – Will ‘Willski’ Hall

2^nd medic – Jody ‘the hobbit’ Williams

Technical – Ryan ‘Griff’ Griffiths

Technical – Justin ‘Reidy’ Reid

Technical – Simon ‘Sniff’ Grenall

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PHOTO-2025-07-02-08-46-06-Junglinster -LUX

Team Junglinster – Luxembourg

Trauma Team Junglinster Who are we? We are a trauma team from the east of Luxembourg, made up of: 👩‍🚒 Medic 1: Kelly Millim 👩‍🚒 Medic 2: Beatriz Santos Francisco We’re both volunteer firefighters, paramedics, and nurses by profession. Kelly has already participated in several World Rescue Challenges: 🇷🇴 Romania 2017 🇿🇦 Cape Town 2018 🇵🇹 Azores 2024 For Beatriz, this will be her first WRC — and we’re excited to take on this challenge together as a new team. 2025 marks our first year competing as a team, and we’re proud to have taken 1st place at the Luxembourg National Trauma Challenge! 🏆 We’re honored to be one of two teams representing Luxembourg at the World Rescue Challenge 2025 in Croatia 🇭🇷 We can’t wait to meet all of you and share this amazing experience! See you in Croatia!

SDIS 78 – France

Sonia and Maxime are each a member of the two trauma teams of the Yvelines fire and rescue (servicing the suburbs to the west of Paris).

Sonia, our medic, is a professional nurse at the hospital of Reims, (the champagne capital)! She also works for the fire and rescue service for the Fire Department of the Yvelines.

She has earned the title of French champion 2025 in the trauma competition.

Maxime , our technician, is a firefighter in the Yvelines department as well. As well. This is Maxime’s first year on the trauma competition team. Showing great potential, he and his partner finished 5th place this year.

(The team we are sending are representing our full team and will be competing for the first time together demonstrating our spirit of unity).

Motiva – Trauma Team BRAZIL

Ademir Aparecido de Campos Junior & Rodrigo Cândido Dias

Representing Brazil, this trauma team brings together the experience of two professionals with distinct yet complementary backgrounds, united by their commitment to pre-hospital emergency care.

Dr. Ademir Aparecido de Campos Junior is an emergency physician, born in Bragança Paulista and currently living in Piracaia, in the countryside of São Paulo. With over 17 years of experience in pre-hospital care, he has worked in several SAMU systems, including Campinas, Hortolândia, Sumaré, Bragança, and currently Limeira. He also works on the Fernão Dias and Rodoanel highways and serves as the Medical Director for Motiva RioSP, covering the Presidente Dutra and Rio-Santos highways. Ademir is an instructor of PHTLS (at the University of São Paulo) and ACLS (at the São Paulo Society of Cardiology). He is also a trauma and rescue competitor, having earned the Brazilian national runner-up title, 3rd place in the Latin American Trauma Challenge, 1st place in the Standard event, and the state champion title.

Rodrigo Cândido Dias, from Itaquera in São Paulo’s East Zone — the most populous urban region in Brazil — has over 20 years of experience in pre-hospital emergency care. A certified Firefighter since 2001 and a licensed Nurse Technician, he also holds a degree in Occupational Safety and is currently pursuing a Nursing degree. Rodrigo has worked in industrial settings at GM, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford, and has been a highway rescue technician since 2012. He has also served in SAMU São Paulo and SAMU São Bernardo do Campo, further strengthening his real-world emergency experience. Rodrigo is Brazilian national runner-up and 3rd place winner at the Latin American Trauma Challenge, recognized for his technical skill and calm presence during critical situations.

Together, this team brings the strength of São Paulo’s urban heart and the resilience of the countryside, sharing not only technical expertise but also the passion and spirit of Brazilian pre-hospital emergency care at the WRC in Croatia.

NZHM Grad Zagreb – Croatia

Nastavni Zavod za Hitnu Medicinu Grada Zagreba

Iva, Lucija and Robert are dedicated professionals at the Teaching Institute for Emergency Medicine of the City of Zagreb. They are passionate about their work, especially when it comes to emergency interventions and trauma cases. Their professionalism, speed, and commitment to saving lives make them invaluable members of the team. For them, working in emergency medicine is not just a job — it’s a way of life.

Cro Trauma Team- Croatia

Country: Croatia
Organization Represented: Zagreb County Emergency Medical Service
Number of Years Competing at WRC: First year

🩺 About the Team

Cro Trauma Team is proud to represent Zagreb County Emergency Medical Service (Croatia) at the World Rescue Challenge 2025. Our team is made up of two trained and experienced professionals:

Davorin Novosel, a medical technician specialized in emergency medicine

Bruno Gross, a resident doctor currently training in emergency medicine

We train rigorously throughout the year to sharpen our clinical expertise, technical precision, and seamless teamwork. Our participation in WRC reflects our commitment to improving patient outcomes through simulation, innovation, and international collaboration.

💡 Motivation

We believe that, while our knowledge and technical skills are solid, there is always room for growth — and no better way to grow than by competing alongside the best teams in the world.

Participating in the WRC allows us to benchmark our performance, learn from international peers, and bring home innovative practices to improve care in our local communities.

Every scenario pushes us to think faster, work smarter, and communicate more effectively — all critical elements of real-life trauma care. And by training in a simulated environment, we’re able to focus fully on improving our skills without the immediate stress of caring for a real-life patient.

BTR Voestalpine -Linz, Austria

Team voestalpine Linz – Austria

We, Daniel Jakic and Thomas Mitterlehner, are full-time paramedics working in the emergency medical service at voestalpine Linz in Upper Austria. Voestalpine is a globally leading technology and steel company, known for developing innovative solutions in the steel industry.

This year marks our first participation in the World Rescue Challenge, and we are excited to represent Austria as the second trauma team at the competition in Croatia this September.

Blackheart Trauma team -USA

Blackheart Trauma team is made up of MDFR firefighters, with one of them on both the extrication and trauma teams. The Trauma team has been competing since 2016.

Palm Beach County -Trauma Team USA

Our team, Palm Beach Country Fire Rescue (PBCFR) is comprised of Florida natives—Alanna(right), Olivia(left), and Matt(middle)—who share a strong passion for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Olivia is a Driver Operator, while Alanna and Matt are skilled Firefighter Paramedics. Together, we combine experience, teamwork, and enthusiasm to represent the best of what EMS professionals can offer. With only a year of competitive experience working together, we bring both camaraderie and commitment to everything we do. We all share the love of traveling and are extremely excited to be in Croatia to compete on the world stage.

Dubai Police Trauma team – U.A.E

Dubai Police Trauma team looking forward to competing again on the world stage.

Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue – Trauma Team – USA

The Advanced Life Support (ALS) Team from the Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue (BSO/Broward ALS) consists of five dedicated professionals who alternate and participate in rescue competitions throughout the year, demonstrating their expertise and teamwork on both state and national stages.

**Team Members:**

– Lieutenant Troy Losey (left)

– Lieutenant Nelson Morillo (center)

– Firefighter/Paramedic Joseph Porcelli (right)

**Not Pictured:**

– Firefighter/Paramedic Terry Tincel

– Firefighter/Paramedic Tessa Gandia

This group started in 2022; the team was formed from a shared passion for emergency medical services and a commitment to continuous improvement. Since its inception, the BSO ALS Team has trained tirelessly, motivating one another to excel and refine their skills in high-pressure scenarios. Their dedication to self-improvement and elevating the standard of care has earned them a spot at the World Rescue Challenge, where they will proudly represent the United States among the world’s top rescue teams. This honor is a testament to their dedication, professionalism, and team strength.

Margate fire department ALS team – Trauma team- USA

The Margate fire department ALS team consists of LT. Yoany Batista, FF Sierra Leon-Jarjoura, and FF Joseph Padilla. Lt. Batista and FF Leon-Jarjoura have been competing in competitions for roughly 8+years! We are thrilled to introduce our newest member to the team FF. Padilla who has been competing for just over a year! Super excited to compete as a team in Croatia!

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue – Trauma Team -UK

Our Team consists of Alex (R) and Josh (L) who both serve on the same Watch in the City of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Our ‘day job’ consists of serving at a Heavy Rescue Station, covering the City of Sheffield and surrounding areas

The UK system is different to many other Countries, in that we are not ‘medics’ by trade. Our Primary role is to rescue and stabilise, before handing our casualties on to the Ambulance Service

We compete to improve our skill-set and have participated in Regional Challenges here in the UK

This is our first World Rescue Challenge, and we can’t wait!

Graz Trauma team – Austria

At this year’s world rescue challenge we, Bernhard and Jakob, will be competing for Austrian Team KAGes & MedUni Graz.

Bernhard is a Junior Doctor and Jakob is a paramedic and med student.

We are very happy to be able to compete on a world wide stage this september! Learning from the best and lifting the patient care to a higher level while meeting great new people and having fun is one unique opportunity. We are very thankful we were given a chance to do so!

Looking forward to meeting all of you – see you in Croatia!

SHMP Tuzla Trauma team Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦

We are honored to represent city of Tuzla and the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina at this esteemed international competition.

Our names are Senad Ahčić and Dino Zubčević, and we proudly serve as members of the Emergency Medical Service in Tuzla.

It is a privilege to take part in this distinguished event, and we look forward to gaining valuable knowledge and sharing experiences with our colleagues from around the world.

ISU Iași Trauma & Extrication Team | World Rescue Challenge

Meet the Trauma Team of the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (ISU) Iași County, proudly representing Romania at the prestigious World Rescue Challenge.

Formed of dedicated and highly trained paramedics and firefighters, this elite team showcases the best of Romanian emergency medical care and extrication expertise. With unwavering discipline, advanced trauma life support skills, and seamless teamwork, they stand as a testament to ISU Iași’s commitment to saving lives under pressure.

Team Members:

* Plt. Robu Paul Adrian – Paramedic – Tactical lead and team captain, ensuring precision and safety in high-stress situations.

* Plt. Filip Alexandru – Paramedic-rescuer, focused on rapid assessment and critical intervention in complex injury scenarios.

* Sg. Maj. Burduja Dimitrie – Paramedic-rescuer, specializing in patient stabilization and extrication under extreme conditions.

Holding the ISU Iași – Extrication & Trauma Team flag with pride, they embody courage, professionalism, and national spirit. Whether in competition or on the field, their mission remains the same: life first, always.

🇷🇴 Proudly representing Romania at the World Rescue Challenge.

Team Bio – Fire and Emergency New Zealand Trauma Team

Representing the lower South Island of New Zealand, the Fire and Emergency NZ Trauma Team is proud to make its debut at the World Rescue Challenge.

The team consists of Will Hall and Jody Williams, both members of Fire and Emergency New Zealand at Medical First Response (MEDFR) stations. Will is a former career firefighter who now volunteers at a MEDFR station, while working full-time as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) on a front-line ambulance. He is currently completing his studies to become a degree qualified paramedic. Jody serves as a first responder medic at a volunteer MEDFR station, bringing valuable on-the-ground experience and a strong clinical mindset to the team.

Together, they bring a blend of frontline ambulance care and fire-based medical response, with a shared passion for trauma care, learning, and improving outcomes for patients. Competing at the World Rescue Challenge is a chance to test their skills against international standards and bring those learnings back to benefit emergency services across New Zealand.

Bucharest Trauma team

Hello to everyone,

Luci(right),Vali(middle) and Boti(left) form Bucharest Trauma Team,since 2018 and proudly representing Romania at the World Rescue Challenge 2025 in Karlovac, Croatia. With experience gained through real-life emergencies and national competitions, we believe in continuous training, teamwork, and the power of international collaboration.After winning top honors at previous WRC editions, 🏆 1st place in WRC2022Luxembourg and🏆 2nd place last year in WRC Azores, we return with the same passion and commitment to learn, connect, and perform at our best.

We look forward to meet rescuers from around the world and sharing knowledge, experiences, and values that strengthen our global mission: to save lives.

Smurd Motto: If you save a life,you can save a whole world!

Praia Da Vitoria – Trauma Team – Portugal

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