The Rolleston Volunteer Fire Brigade team won the National Champion title after beating 16 other fire brigade teams, including Queenstown, to win the National Road Crash Rescue Challenge.
Teams of six firefighters were confronted with random scenarios set up by the United Fire Brigades' Association to simulate real-life road crashes at the Queenstown Ice Arena last weekend. Teams were scored on their ability to extricate and treat patients.
Organisers of the event kept the results secret until Sunday night, when winners of the various events were announced at a prizegiving function at the Skyline Restaurant.
Queenstown competed for the first time and placed 12th overall in the challenge. Its best placing was in the entrapped event, finishing in eighth place.
Other Otago teams ranked were Ranfurly placing seventh, Milton 10th and Balclutha 13th overall in the challenge.
Queenstown finished 11th in the trauma challenge, Milton was second, Ranfurly ninth and Balclutha 16th.
Overall winner Rolleston won in the immediate event, trauma challenge and best technical team categories. The Rolleston brigade first assembled its team to compete in the association's regional challenge in October 2009 and in a few years overtook several more experienced teams on the way to the top spot.
The next national challenge will be held in 2014.
