Victorians in need of rescue following road accidents are to be freed from their vehicles faster with the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) rolling out a range of new, improved tools.
Announcing the rollout, VICSES said the new Road Crash Rescue (RCR) portable tools were battery-operated and would ensure faster operating times on scene.
“The core technology used for RCR throughout the emergency management sector, requires a pump at the end of a 20-metre hose, which pushes the oil up the hose to power the tools,” VICSES said.
“With these new battery-powered tools, it’s all encased so the electric motor powers the hydraulic pump inside, so that our volunteers only need three pieces of equipment to extricate a patient from a car: a cutter, a spreader, and a combi-tool,” it said.
“The rollout of the tools is already underway, with several units using the tools for the first time over recent weeks.”
VICSES said that over last weekend (21 May) volunteers in its Morwell Unit utilised one of the new battery-powered tools to cut open a crashed vehicle and create an access point for paramedics.
It said the patient was quickly and successfully extricated from their car.
Along with the Morwell Unit, the Service said the new equipment and necessary training had already been delivered to the Sunbury, South Barwon, Sorrento, and Bendigo Units.
“The new RCR tools will be rolled out in a staged approach as the core hydraulic tools reach their end-of-life, allowing for volunteer training and ensuring capability in both sets of equipment,” VICSES said.
