Bruce Power Team Wins U.S. National SWAT Championship

Congratulations to Bruce Power‘s Nuclear Response Team which has captured first prize at the 2011 U.S. National SWAT Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma!

This is a great example the daily efforts of qualified professionals in the Canadian nuclear industry who are committed to ensuring public safety, and  an example of the many layers of protection between our nuclear operations, our employees and the communities in which we operate.

Bruce Power team members (from left) are: Ben Nevin, Jordan MacDougall, Sam McCulloch, Trevor Urbshott, Adam Atyeo, Alex Torrie, Mike McFarlane and Kyle Roulston.

This is the fourth year in a row Bruce Power has taken top prize at the competition which consists of eight tactical events that test fitness, weapons skills and team organization. Bruce Power finished first in six of those eight events which simulate real-life scenarios faced by tactical officers. Scoring is based on time and target hits and the events are conducted in full tactical gear in head-to-head stages.

Mike McFarlane gives it his all during the US National SWAT Championship where Bruce Power finished first for the fourth year running.

“This team is a real credit to our company and have demonstrated great pride, dedication and integrity in winning this championship,” said Duncan Hawthorne, Bruce Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Jordan MacDougall (foreground) and members of the Bruce Power team prepare to compete during the US National SWAT Championship.

Bruce Power was the only Canadian team competing at the event which attracted 23 tactical units from the U.S. and abroad. The team donated the prizes it won to various cash-strapped law enforcement organizations in the United States earning a standing ovation at the event’s awards banquet.

Bruce Power’s Alex Torrie runs for the finish line carrying a dummy during the US National SWAT Championship in Tulsa.

“These dedicated officers make an incredible personal sacrifice to be competitive at this level and to do this year-after-year is unprecedented,” said John Latouf, Deputy Chief Emergency and Protective Services. “The team that won it for the first time in Colorado has only two members on this year’s championship team so this is a true cross-section of our entire workgroup.”

Latouf said the competition team are Nuclear Response Team members first and part-time competitors second and will be back on shift this week protecting the Bruce Power facility alongside their fellow officers.

Earlier this year, Bruce Power formed a new integrated emergency response organization combining all of its emergency response capability into a single organization including its security team.

“We are all very proud of their efforts and they are always excellent ambassadors for Bruce Power,” Latouf said.

Competition history

• April, 2005     Placed fifth at World SWAT Challenge
• April, 2006     Eighth place at World SWAT Challenge
• June, 2006      First place in Police/Military category at the Security Protection Officer Team Competition (SPOTC)
• May, 2007       Fourth at the World SWAT Challenge
• June, 2007      First place in the Police/Military category at SPOTC.
• Sept. 2007      First at Canadian Nuclear Security Officer’s Challenge
• May, 2008       First at U.S. National SWAT Championships
• June, 2008      First in Police/Military category at SPOTC
• June, 2009      First in Police/Military category at SPOTC
• June, 2009      First overall at U.S. National SWAT Championships
• June, 2010      First in Police/Military category at SPOTC
• June, 2010      First overall at U.S. National SWAT
• June, 2011      First in Police/Military category at SPOTC
• Oct. 2011       First overall at U.S. National SWAT Championships