FRNSW hone skills ahead of Road Crash Rescue Challenge - Video - Dubbo

Published: 28 Apr 2022 12:20pm

It will be a case of hydraulic cutters at the ready this weekend when Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) takes on the State Emergency Service and other first response agencies in the 2022 Road Crash Rescue Challenge at Dubbo.

The three-day event at the Dubbo Showgrounds this year pits crews of first responders against each other for the title of NSW Road Crash Rescue Champions.

Six FRNSW crews, from Forster, Berry, Wyong, Dubbo and Ulladulla Fire Stations, as well as a Region South team, are competing against other organisations like the SES and the Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA) in such scenarios as a “Controlled Rescue,” an “Entrapped Rescue,” a “Trauma Challenge,” “CPR” application and an “Industrial and “Domestic Rescue Challenge.”

Whilst the rivalry is friendly, the crews take the actual work very seriously as they cut cars apart to simulate rescuing “trapped” motorists and perfecting mock “firefighter down” situations.

It’s the second year of the multi-agency Challenge with additional championships planned for Australasian and International competitors.

Assistant FRNSW Commissioner Rob McNeil said the Challenge, starting tomorrow, allows the competing agencies to sharpen their skills for ‘real’ emergencies.

“The selected crews learn a great deal from each other and also by actually completing these events under pressure, with the clock ticking,” Asst Commissioner McNeil said.

“They’ll also receive advice from the best rescuers, paramedics, instructors and assessors that NSW can offer,” he added.

“These competitions often generate new ideas and concepts that we can test and put into action to save lives on our roads.

“They also allow our first responders to make long-lasting professional relationships that can prove invaluable at crash scenes.”

Minister for Emergency Services, Resilience and Flood Recovery Steph Cooke plans to visit the Road Crash Rescue Challenge at the weekend.

“As an SES volunteer myself, I know how important these types of events are,” Ms Cooke said.

“We can sometimes take for granted the skills required to safely remove an injured person from a wrecked vehicle,” she said

“It takes a lot of practice and the expected skill levels are rightfully high because in real scenarios that first responder is often racing the clock to save a life.”

Educational sessions and workshops are also conducted during the Challenge weekend, teaching rescuers about issues such as electrical safety, safe winching techniques and mental health.

The Road Crash Rescue Challenge runs from Friday 29 April to Sunday 1 May inclusive.

For footage of the Wyong Fire and Rescue crew training for the Challenge and an interview with its instructor, click this link:
https://vimeo.com/703627374/4e8f3132e2 [external link]