Rescue techniques put to crash test

A simulated helicopter crash in the Moreton Bay Region today has given emergency services personnel an opportunity to sharpen their rescue techniques.

Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) crews from Burpengary and Caboolture worked alongside Queensland Police Service (QPS), Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) and airfield managers to locate and extricate four people in a helicopter crash situation.

Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan said the simulation at Caboolture Airfield was a chance for responders to strengthen skills and test operations between emergency services agencies.

Put to the test

“This exercise has provided a terrific environment for crews from all three emergency services to test their procedures for life-threatening incidents,” Mr Ryan, the State Member for Morayfield, says.

“Training like this is critical for local crew capability as these scenarios, while unlikely, can happen at any time and ensure first responders are ready for the real thing.

“This is a complex training situation and I was extremely impressed by how quickly crews were able to locate and extricate casualties safely.”

Vital training

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Commissioner Greg Leach said the drills tested operational safety, firefighter capabilities and communication.

“Regular training scenarios are an important part of QFES’ operations and provide an opportunity to test the skills and efficiency of a team,” Mr Leach said.

“A crashed helicopter is not a scenario that occurs often, so we need to make sure crews have the skills to respond effectively with the right equipment and training.

“Having the opportunity to use a real helicopter with human casualties adds to the complexity of the scenario and will translate across into a real-life helicopter emergency.

“We never know when our crews will be faced with an emergency like this so it’s important our FRS crews put in the hard-work during training to be confident in their abilities at future incidents.”

There’s more news here