Following the old adage that "prevention is better than cure" the team of doctors and nurses, who will collaborate on another edition of Rali Vinho da Madeira, gathered for a training session, with the aim of reviewing basic emergency medical interventions.

In fact, everyone expects that accidents won’t occur, but it is best to have the lesson well studied and to put into practice the teachings they already know.

In the case of the rally, the specific material that drivers use, as well as the safety components of the rally car, being completely different from other vehicles require a special attention and, above all, practical training, open also to the stage safety officers, who will be on the stages and who will be the first to arrive on the scene.

"Does anyone know how to open a safety belt in rally cars? Did you know that you have to disconnect the communication system attached to the helmet? And the Hans device? (Head and neck system – attached to drivers’ helmet which helps protect the head and neck).

These were some of the issues that were raised right at the beginning of the training and brought to the attention of the participants. There is no doubt that this medical team knows which techniques to use, for example, for immobilization of head/spine of a victim. What's the best way to do it in a rally scenario? How to carry out the extraction of a driver or co-driver in the event of an accident, given that there is very little room to manoeuvre in a rally car? And what is the role of extrication vehicles and how to act as a team?

These and other questions were explained at the Madeira Tecnopolo, first in theory, and then, in practice through simulations with the help of Toyota Yaris from the Ferro brothers. The Funchal Municipal Fire Department also gave a valuable help, by coming on site with an extrication unit, showing the equipment and explaining the main procedures, all in accordance with international standard criteria for safety and rescue.