The Balclutha Volunteer Fire Brigade's crash rescue team is headed for Australia after recording its best finish at a national competition.
The Balclutha team finished third at the national crash rescue event run by the United Fire Brigades Association at Nelson last weekend, and the neighbouring Milton squad finished sixth.
Balclutha team leader Brendan Smith said all teams were put through their paces in three different simulated exercises where each team member as well as the collective unit were judged on their skills and performance.
Some exercises involved manikins trapped in crushed vehicles and others involved real, live people.
Barriers were placed in the way to make access and the rescue operation even harder.
Organisers had made it as real as possible.
Mr Smith's team included medic Robbie Allan, coach Gavin Scott, Denis Low, Stu Powell, Ants Dunn and travelling reserve Tony Soper.
After three events on Friday and Saturday, no team knew exactly how well it had done until the prizegiving on Saturday night.
The top four teams qualified for the New Zealand and Australian crash rescue event on Australia's Gold Coast in June.
The strong Morrinsville team, which recently competed at the world championships in Spain, won the national title, followed by Whitianga.
Mr Smith was runner-up in the team leader competition and Mr Allan third best medic at the Nelson competition.
