Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and State Emergency Service crews have joined forces to share their operational know-how during a two-week training program in the Southern Highlands.
Firefighters from 385 Moss Vale station recently hosted the SES crew from Wingecarribee, explaining the techniques they use to carry out a variety of different rescues.
In return, the SES volunteers staged a mock, two-vehicle road crash, encouraging the fire crew to extricate five “patients” from the simulated wreckage, using the capabilities, knowledge and equipment shared between the rescue organisations.
FRNSW Duty Commander, Bruce Dowling, said both crews found the joint training extremely beneficial.
“There was a lot of know-how that the operators from FRNSW and SES were willing to share to improve their emergency response capabilities,” Inspector Dowling said.
“I can see both organisations doing more of this cross-training to improve our skillsets and safely respond to life-threatening incidents as required.”
SES Southern Highlands Local Commander, Dylan Whitelaw, said the ultimate beneficiary is the public.
“By sharing each other’s years of experience, these first responders can call on different, proven techniques in the heat of an emergency to get the job done,” Chief Inspector Whitelaw said.
