Dubbo FRNSW secure two wins in 2022 Road Crash Rescue Challenge

The fastest and safest ways to rescue victims in dangerous road crash situations were tested in Dubbo from April 29 to May 1.

This year 13 teams of first responders competed against each other in the multi-agency challenge at the Dubbo Showground.

The three-day event saw teams from FRNSW, the State Emergency Service, Volunteer Rescue Association, Rural Fire Service and even a team from the Victorian Country Fire Authority put to the test in a number of challenges and scenarios based on real-life situations.

While the Werribee CFA were named the overall winners in the 2022 challenge, Port Stephens SES took out a close second followed by Ulladulla FRNSW who were in third.

However members from the Delroy Fire Station represented Dubbo winning the trauma challenge, as well as the 'combi-tool' competition.

The combi-tool competition saw teams use the multi-purpose tool to gradually remove one item from a vehicle in a head-to-head round robin.

The Dubbo team managed to remove the B pillars of the vehicle in just 45 seconds. In the final round, the crew were able to remove the whole side of the vehicle in just seven minutes, which won them the challenge.

Acting Captain Joseph Bacon said while the team were a late entry to the competition, he was proud team Dubbo secured two wins.

"I was proud of my team's accomplishments and skills over the challenge, and I am stoked we had two wins with the little time we had to brush up on our skills," he said.

"In the very short time, we had for preparation we revised our training and did a few drills just utilising what we had available at the station.

"We were all nervous but excited at the same time, our main goal was to sharpen our skills."

The team was made up of Acting Captain Bacon as commander, Craig Wilson as medic, Wayne Koppel as rescue operator, William Tandy as rescue operator, Joshua Wetherell as rescue operator and tool hand, Heath Smith as tool hand and Scott Habgood as tool hand and trainer.

The Dubbo crew also excelled in the trauma scenario, simulating the best medical treatment provided to a road crash patient.

On Saturday, team Dubbo were faced with strategically lifting a car of a patient, whose arm was caught resulting in a compound fracture.

On Sunday the team faced with helping two people - one who had been impaled by a pole and another whose organs were protruding from their body.

The crew managed to free the impaled patient by successfully cutting the pole away, while the other patient was treated and monitored to keep them stable.

They also managed to rescue a driver trapped in a vehicle that had landed on its roof. The crew accessed the vehicle from the rear, removing it and the roof by creating an oyster cut to gain more room to rescue the patient.

The team discovered the man was trapped, and had to get him out through the side window.

"Our skills were on display and they certainly didn't disappoint," Acting Captain Bacon said.

"The spectators was so fixated on the events we almost had to jump over them to get to our next challenge."

The top three teams will now have the opportunity to participate in the Australasian Road Rescue Challenge in Tamworth in July.