Emergency Service volunteers unite for national rescue challenge

A collection of Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers from the state’s mid-west have showcased their rescue capacity on the national stage, representing Victoria at the recent National Disaster Rescue Challenge (NDRC).

Having travelled north to Sydney last week, VICSES Ballarat Unit volunteers competed against first responders from five other states and territories on 28 & 29 September, exhibiting their skill in responding to a wide array of simulated rescue scenarios.

The VICSES team was accompanied by two VICSES staff trainers who served as judges throughout the weekend, as the Ballarat unit volunteers narrowly missed a podium place and finished fourth.

The 2024 event included a focus on simulating ‘mass casualty’ rescue operations, with volunteers tasked with safely extricating and managing casualties found trapped in a plane wreckage, immobilised under a fallen stadium roof, and pinned by a concrete road-barrier, among other scenarios.

The scenario-based exercises allowed volunteers to build their confidence in managing large-scale rescue scenarios, with members expected to respond to the incident in real-time with limited prior knowledge of the request for assistance (RFA).

To prepare, VICSES Ballarat Unit volunteers undertook a comprehensive training regime encompassing technical skill development, casualty handling, sandbagging and safe work at heights, to ensure they were appropriately prepared for any rescue scenario.

Throughout the duration of the competition, volunteers were also given the opportunity to collaborate, learn from and network with our interstate colleagues  across the weekend.

Through the initiative, VICSES volunteers were able to develop an improved understanding of how other agencies approach emergency situations, as well as gain exposure to the equipment and resources they utilise on a daily basis.

New South Wales SES was crowned the winner of the NDRC 2024, ahead of emergency service teams from ACT, Queensland, Victoria, WA and South Australia.

Quotes attributable to Karen Biggelaar, VICSES Ballarat Unit Team Leader:

“Events like the National Disaster Rescue Challenge are extremely important for volunteers to build their rescue capability and learn from other first responders in the industry.

“It’s always fun to meet volunteers from other states, hear about their stories, and learn how their response may differ from our Victorian approach.

“Each of our volunteers took some learning away from the weekend, and we look forward to being able to use these skills to bolster our response in for communities in Ballarat and across Victoria.”

Quotes attributable to Gordon Hicks, VICSES Ballarat Unit Controller:

“Seeing our volunteers represent Victoria on the national stage was a great thrill, and they certainly made our state proud with their skill, attention to detail, and the camaraderie they showcased.”