The Westerly Regional Trench Rescue Team conducts annual refresher training for all team members and all supporting departments. The Watch Hill Fire Department is part of the regional team and the trailer was at the Watch Hill fire station this week to allow Watch Hill firefighters to review the tools and equipment and to receive their annual operations refresher training.

While at Watch Hill, the trailer was cleaned, organized, inventoried, and labeled by a dedicated group of Trench Team members including Captain Jane Perkins, Lieutenant Dennis Mello, Duty Firefighter Keith Maine, and Duty Firefighter Dennis Reall.

The team was originally created by Westerly Ambulance and then expanded to include the four independent Fire Districts serving the Town of Westerly. It was then expanded again last year to include the Charlestown Ambulance and Rescue Service.

The trailer has been moved to Charlestown Ambulance and Rescue today and will be rotated through all six participating departments during the next six weeks for refresher training and review.

A full scale joint practical training exercise will then be conducted in April with all six departments as well as the Warwick Fire Department Technical Rescue Team.

The trailer and equipment was originally purchased using a generous grant from the Alfred M. Roberts Jr. Charitable Foundation. Commander Roberts and his wife were Watch Hill summer residents for many years.