ARTHURS SEAT, VIC. — Emergency crews from CFA, VICSES, FRV, Ambulance Victoria, and Victoria Police came together for a joint gondola rescue training exercise at Arthurs Seat Eagle on Wednesday, September 16.
The exercise gave crews a valuable opportunity to practice unique rescue operations using the gondola system and surrounding steep terrain, while testing and strengthening inter-agency connectivity.
There was also a four-legged addition to the exercise, with a Search and Rescue Dogs Australia canine getting the rescue experience and being safely lowered from a gondola as part of the scenario.
CFA District 8 Commander Brad Podolski said the exercise ran smoothly and gave crews valuable time working alongside the agencies they may need to respond with during a real emergency.
“It was a really positive exercise and another chance for everyone to work together, understand each other’s capabilities and practise the systems we would rely on during an actual incident,” Brad said.
“Exercises like this are important because an incident here (at Arthurs Seat Eagle) would require a coordinated response from a number of agencies, so having that familiarity, if we’re ever faced with the real thing, makes a big difference.”
The training focused on safely accessing and lowering occupants from gondolas, while allowing crews to refresh the specialist skills required to operate around the attraction.
It’s the second consecutive year crews have trained for the scenario, with this year’s exercise being attended by over 104 emergency service and Arthurs Seat Eagle personnel.
