Every week, rescue teams around the world share powerful images of their training using Ruth Lee manikins. These photos give us a unique window into the dedication, expertise and teamwork behind real-world rescue preparedness – and we absolutely love highlighting them.
For more than five years we’ve run our popular #FridayFavouritePhoto series on social media. Each Friday we showcase a selection of the best training photos shared with us by, you, our wonderful customers. The feature celebrates everything from water rescue drills and helicopter winching to confined-space and technical rescue training, and it has become a treasured weekly spotlight for the global rescue community!
This weekly celebration feeds into one of our favourite annual traditions…
Our Annual Photo of the Year Competition
Every December we bring together the most striking images from the year and invite the community to choose the winner. The Ruth Lee Photo of the Year is a seasonal tradition for us – a fun festive way to celebrate the skill, teamwork and dedication of rescuers worldwide, with the winning team announced in time for Christmas.
How the 2025 Competition Works
The voting takes place exclusively on Facebook.
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The photo with the most LIKE 👍 or LOVE ❤️ reactions on the competition photos by 9:00am (GMT) on Friday 19th December 2025 will be crowned Photo of the Year 2025.
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Only LIKE and LOVE reactions will be counted.
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Only reactions made directly on the photos in the official competition post will be eligible.
The Prize
The winning rescue team will receive one Ruth Lee training manikin of their choice from the following range:
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50kg Duty Manikin
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50kg Working at Height Manikin
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50kg Confined Space Manikin
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40kg Man Overboard Manikin
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Adult Pool Rescue Manikin
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50kg Patient Handling Manikin
With so many outstanding nominations this year, picking a single winner won’t be easy — that’s why we love letting the community decide.
Meet the 2025 Nominees
This year’s shortlist features an exceptional spread of organisations, photographers and emergency services teams from across the globe:
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ale8ttln 🇮🇹
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Feuerwehr Burghausen 🇩🇪
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alert.aplha 🇺🇸
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Aizsardzības ministrija 🇱🇻
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Kent Fire and Rescue Service 🇬🇧
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fdt.explorer2 🇸🇪
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Aquatic Life Support Society 🇲🇾
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SR3 Rescue Concepts / Blackcomb Helicopters / hoist_operators_union 🇺🇸
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angrylynx_medic 🇮🇹
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DLRG Ortsgruppe Dormagen e.V. 🇩🇪
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Lifesaving Singapore 🇸🇬
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London Fire Brigade 🇬🇧
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Marine Rescue Rockingham 🇦🇺
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3SM Marseille / VALABRE 🇫🇷
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nicobacco – Centro Jovellanos 🇪🇸
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North Wales Fire and Rescue Service / Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru 🏴
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Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (Official) 🇬🇧
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Beneath The Surface 🇬🇧
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SICS Firenze – Forte dei Marmi 🇮🇹
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KSA Rettung Aargau West 🇨🇭
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Virginia Beach Fire Department 🇺🇸
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West Pomeranian Voivodeship WOPR / Służba SAR – BSR Darłowo 🇵🇱
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Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team 🇬🇧
To everyone who has shared their training photos with us this year—thank you. These images inspire our team, support the international rescue community, and help showcase the importance of realistic, scenario-based training.
The official winner will be publicly announced on our channels and contacted directly on Friday 19th December 2025, in time for the Christmas period.
Cast Your Vote
To vote for your favourite and help crown our winner, simply visit our Facebook page and react to your chosen photo. Your engagement helps highlight the incredible work of rescue teams around the world – and ensures the winning team receives a festive prize they can use in future training.