EAST LANSING, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. and Michigan State University’s Emergency Response Solutions will host the 2007 Ford-MSU Emergency Response Challenge on Tuesday, May 22, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MSU Pavilion, 4301 Farm Lane.

Emergency response teams representing Ford Motor Co.’s North American plant manufacturing operations will compete in six unrehearsed events ­– ranging from medical first response to water ball – designed to improve their ability to respond to potential industrial-related emergencies. An awards presentation will follow the competition.

“Each year Emergency Response Solutions at MSU provides more than 700 days of training for first responders in the public and private sector,” said Scott Tobey, professor in MSU’s School of Criminal Justice and organizer of the event. “The hands-on training is designed to provide responders with the knowledge and skills required to fight fires, handle chemical spills, respond to medical emergencies and initiate rescue services.”

The competition includes:

• Technical rescue skills – Rescue teams will be judged on their ability to don self-contained breathing apparatus for use in confined space rescues and tie knots that may be required to perform confined space or high angle rescues.

• Medical first response – Medical first responders will respond to an employee medical emergency, assess the individual's condition and provide appropriate basic life support using specialized medical procedures and support systems.

• Hazardous materials response – Environmental response teams will respond to an unknown hazardous material release, assess the nature of the exposure and contain the release using environmental containment procedures and equipment.

• Hose application – Fire defense teams will respond to a simulated industrial fire and attempt to extinguish the fire in the shortest amount of time possible using charged hose lines and appropriate fire fighting tactics.

• Water ball – Plant fire defense teams will face off against each other on a unique playing field armed with high-pressure hose streams and attempt to force a suspended target into the opposing team’s goal.

For more information on the Web, visit www.ers.msu.edu/index.html.

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