Blackpool rescue specialists get £35,000 for expansion

Reax of Keystone Court, Hallam Way, is set to create five new jobs in its growth plans for the next five years.

The money came from NPIF – BFS & MSIF Microfinance – a product fund under the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund umbrella.

Run by former emergency services personnel including Pete Langley and Keith Parmley, Reax is a specialist access and rescue training provider, based at an industrial simulation training facility.

It was launched in 2014 by a group of former and current emergency services personnel from the fire service, specialist rope rescue units, North West ambulance service paramedic teams, urban search and rescue teams and mountain rescue.

With more than 240 years’ operational experience between them, the team now provides training to the emergency services, utility, telecoms, construction and engineering sectors, specialising in a range of confined space courses, industrial simulation, rescue training, first aid courses and equipment sales.

The funds will also be invested in further development of Reax’s training facility, which has purpose-built areas to recreate scenarios faced working at height, in confined spaces and industrial and rescue situations.

Reax director Pete Langley said: “Since we launched four years ago, our specialist training services have been in high demand across the North West.

“This funding from GC Business Finance and NPIF will enable us to develop our current facilities and to recruit more rescue and first aid and trauma trainers, ensuring that we are able to continue to expand.

“Across our growing team, we have faced every situation and danger that you might expect to encounter in challenging work and rescue situations over many years in the emergency services.

“This expertise means that we are able to work with and train individuals and companies – from emergency services teams to utilities companies and telecom firms - to ensure that they won’t face the dangers that we have.”

Mark Gibbons, senior Loan manager at GC Business Finance which manages the investment fund, said: “Pete, Keith and their team have developed their business at an admirable pace over the past few years, growing to over 70 clients in a very short time.”