29 November 2009
Approximately 2am on the 29th November 2009 the Wagga Wagga Rescue Squad received a call from the police about some people trapped in a elevator at Romano's Hotel in the main st of Wagga Wagga.
On arrival rescuers found the elevator was on the ground floor, the elevator had stopped between ground floor and the basement.
Rescuers gained access to the plant room hoping to find a tripped relay switch but all the relays were working.
A lift mechanic could not be contacted so the police gave us the ok to use forced entry to the lift as the people inside the lift had been there for 30 minutes.
Rescuers used an enerpac hydraulic ram with a P39 pump to spread open the door on the elevator, they then removed 9 people from the lift all in good health.
Tim Lidden
Squad Captain
28 November 2009 - Vale: Joe Ensbey
It is with regret that I inform you of the sudden passing of Colin (Joe) Ensbey [1925-2009] (Life and Foundation member of Wooli Rescue Squad). He along with a like-minded group of locals formed the Wooli Unit in 1976 after the death of yet another person on the dangerous Wooli Bar, and was instrumental in organising the purchase of rescue equipment, the Unit’s first vessel and first (and only) truck...still working and doing a good job in towing the Unit’s rescue vessel.
Joe toiled - alongside his wife Jean who predeceased him in 2008, to create a safer marine boating environment for recreational and professional fishers.
Up until his ‘retirement’ from official duties in 2002, Joe had held many positions in administration with the Wooli Unit - Secretary, Treasurer and long –term radio operator.
Joe and Jean ran the radio communications in the early years from the front room of their home overlooking the wonderful waters off Wooli making sure that recreational and professional boaters all had a safe point of call in emergencies – of which there were many!
Many of the early rescues were coordinated by Joe and Jean enlisting the professional fleet operating out of Wooli to locate and retrieve stranded fishermen, tow vessels safely home.
He will be greatly missed by the marine rescue fraternity.
His funeral will take place at Coffs Harbour Crematorium, Hogbin Drive today at 1130hrs.
Vale Joe Ensbey.
Regards
Stephen Reading
President
Wooli Volunteer Rescue Squad Inc
23 November 2009
Volunteers Craig Wilson and Neil Sturrock of Dubbo Rescue Squad VRA were presented with community awards from the Dubbo City Council on Monday 23rd November.
Every year the Dubbo community celebrate the day that the City of Dubbo was proclaimed. With that, the community nominates and recognises those who work within the community for the benefit of others. Volunteers from many areas are recognised, and congratulated, for their efforts in making Dubbo a better place to live. Each nominee is invited to attend a luncheon with the Mayor and are presented with a certificate for their community service.
We congratulate both Craig and Neil whom have been members of Dubbo Rescue Squad for a number of years. Both were supported by their families and friends at the luncheon with Dubbo Rescue Squad President Les Clarke, former recipient, also attending on behalf of the Squad. Over the last few years Dubbo Rescue Squad has had many of their volunteers recognised by the community of Dubbo at this annual function. It clearly shows the value of the volunteers to the community to be recognised in this way.
David Dickey
Captain
Dubbo Rescue Squad
22 & 23 November 2009
Approximately 12pm on the 22th November 2009 the Wagga Wagga Rescue Squad responded to a report of a horse caught in a fence north of Wagga.On arrival rescuers found a horse laying on the ground beside a fence with a number of cut's to it's body and in shock. After freeing the horse from the fence they were able to stand the animal up and walk it around but the horse was deteriorating quickly , the RFS were call to provide water, the RFS slowly pored water over the horse to cool it down as it was a hot day. Soon after a vet arrived and sadly the horse was put down due to it's condition.
The next day Monday the 23rd November at 0820 Wagga vra received a call from the police that a dog had it's head caught in a car rim.
On arrival rescuers found a six week old Labrador pup with its head stuck in the middle of a car rim.
The car rims were laying around the back of the house when the pup decided to stick it's head in where it should not have.
After using vegetable oil and little persuasion the pup was released from the rim with no injuries.
The pup was relocated with it's mother and doing well.
As the photo shows not a lot of room for the pup.
Saturday 21 November 2009
At 3.10am Saturday morning volunteers from Dubbo Rescue Squad VRA were responded to assist Police to locate, and recover, a male person who had entered the Macquarie River in Dubbo. Once on scene rescue volunteers set lighting either side of the river at the point where Police were negotiating with the person. Rescue boat “The Max Walters” was launched with two rescue operators and two Police officers from the Bligh Street boat ramp and proceeded north along the Macquarie River to the location. After approximately an hour the male person was taken into Police custody, and safely recovered from the water. He was then transported in “ The Max Walters” back to the Bligh Street boat ramp with Police. All rescue volunteers finally returned home just before 5.30am.
Saturday 14 November 2009
Approximately 3pm on the 14th November 2009 the Wagga Wagga Rescue Squad responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident which was located 5 kilometres out on the Coolamon to Wagga Rd. On arrival rescuers found a Holden sedan into a tree, with a male driver, unconscious and trapped.The driver was trapped by compression as the driver's door took the impact of the accident. Working alongside Ambulance rescue both sides of the vehicle were removed using Hurst shears, the front and rear windscreen was also taken out and then the roof was removed allowing better access for the Ambulance officers to treat the driver, after being trapped for 30min the driver was then removed from the car and taken to Wagga base hospital in an Ambulance vehicle, in a serious condition. Weather condition at the accident was very hot with the temperature at the scene at 40 degrees, Wagga VRA then returned to base for a well earned cold drink.
Tim Lidden
Wagga Wagga Rescue Squad
Squad Captain
Sunday 8th November 2009
On Sunday 8th November 2009 volunteers from the Albury & Border Rescue Squad responded to a call for assistance from the NSW Police to assist with a search of the Murray River after two 15 year old males had gone missing. They had been with another 15-year-old boy, intending to float downstream from Mungabareena Reserve to Noriel Park starting at midday.
At 4pm one of the boys had become separated from the other two. After walking for approximately 2 hours he arrived at their destination and when the others didn’t arrive he alerted family and the Squad was responded and an immediate search began at 8pm. Members from the Albury SES were also called upon for assistance.
The two missing boys were found safe and well about 1am, located approximately 100m downstream from where Flanagan's Creek rejoins the Murray River. They were huddled under the inflatable mattress that they had been floating on, which had been deflated and used as a blanket.
It was believed the boys had become confused and lost their bearings, floating down Flanagan's Creek until it rejoined the Murray.
VRA personnel in boats along with the assistance of Albury Fire Brigade thermal imagery equipment located the boys.
After cleaning up and a debrief members finished up at 2.30am.
Sunday 1 November 2009
Exercise LOCO was a planned exercise to check the Standing Operating Procedures of all emergency functional areas & agencies at Gulgong which is part of the Mid-Western Regional Council and to test the Displan procedures of the LEMC and see if they needed updating. The exercise was organised and Facilitated by NSW-VRA Member Janelle Dollisson (Gulgong) with close support from Demo Stuart Davies and LEOCON Michael Cleary.
The event started at 5.30pm and the incident was setup to simulate a car impacting a train with hazardous materials falling off the train and bringing down power lines at a level crossing and went until approximately 7.30pm.
A hot debrief was given back at the Gulgong NSW-VRA Headquarters and all functional areas & agencies joined in and hot meals was provided by the squads auxiliary catering crew, approximately 80 personnel participated in the exercise.
The debrief highlighted some areas to help improve in such a real event with all feed back being positive and constructive of the exercise.
Garry Dollisson