Rodney Stevens

Firefighters from Maclean and Grafton are now skilled in the latest techniques to free people trapped in serious car crashes following a three-day training exercise last week.

So, if you saw firefighters at North Bank Road, Palmers Channel, there were no people injured or involved, the firefighters were just training to save lives in serious car crashes.

Fire and Rescue NSW Maclean retained firefighter Andrew Tom said the exercise was held from Tuesday until Thursday last week at Palmers Channel, involving 24 firefighters from Station 306 Grafton and Station 372 Maclean.

“We did a combined RCR which is Road Crash Rescue training which ran over three days, with eight firefighters attending on each day,” he said.

Mr Tom said without the generosity of Mark Sainsbury and the team at Matthews Metal Maclean, who donated 10 cars for the exercises and delivered them for free, the training days wouldn’t have been the success they were.

Fire and Rescue NSW assessor Bradley Edwards from Ballina conducted the training, which required each firefighter to complete two online modules prior to the course, before all firefighters completed four modules at Station 372 Maclean on each morning, before the practical assessment in the afternoon.

“We simulated all the different techniques we use in a road crash rescue situation,” he said.

“Firefighters practiced cutting a vehicle to gain access and different techniques that we use to gain access when a patient is trapped in a car.

“Out of the 24 firefighters over the three days everyone upgraded to the Road Crash Rescue RCR accreditation.”

With the evolution of cars and the fuels that power them, Mr Tom said it was important for firefighters to keep up their training, so they are equipped to tackle any crash scenario.

“It was important to get our skills up to speed and learn new techniques,” he said.

“Cars are changing rapidly with hybrid and electric fuel sources, so we have to learn what to look out for and what to do in certain situations.”

In addition to this training with other brigades, Mr Tom said each brigade does fortnightly training to prepare them for different scenarios they may encounter.