Hunter firefighters spent the weekend simulating an emergency response to a serious bus crash in a training event that the state's fire brigade said would prepare first responders for the realities of arriving on the actual scene.
Participating paramedics and firefighters were told that two buses and a utility had been involved in a crash that caused one of the buses to roll over, with multiple casualties role-played by members of the Rural Fire Service.
They were then tasked with getting access to a rolled bus, working with their emergency agency counterparts to treat the casualties, and taught the most efficient ways of dealing with the scenario.
Jeff Hartley, a Fire and Rescue NSW station officer and rescue trainer, said the training exercise helped emergency responders gain experience in the "challenging environment" of the real emergency scene and prepared them for the realities of the job.
"When our crews respond to real-life operations ... they immediately know what to do," he said. "They are familiar with the challenging environment, and they are used to working side-by-side with ambulance crews and other emergency agencies.
"It also allows us to formulate extrication plans that focus on positive outcomes for potential patients."
