By Oliver Lees
Sunbury residents can feel a little safer on the road, with six State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers recently completing a technical qualification to respond to car crashes.
The Sunbury SES volunteers wrapped up their Road Crash Rescue course earlier this month, following two full weekends of assessment and more than six weeks of training – all done outside their regular working hours.
The course is designed to prepare volunteers to respond to immediate, life-threatening crash scenarios and includes the use of heavy technical equipment.
Kevin Muslayah was one of the six graduates of the program.
A SES volunteer for two years, he said he “couldn’t miss this opportunity” to upskill.
“Being able to support people in their greatest time of need and get them back to their loved ones is really special,” Mr Muslayah said.
Sunbury SES media section leader and Hume councillor Jarrod Bell said there are a number of critical skills taught in the program.
“It’s all about scene assessment, use of rescue hydraulics, vehicle stabilisation and glass management amongst other things,” Cr Bell said.
“And importantly, removing the car from the casualty, not the casualty from the car.
“Our mission is about access, so that paramedics can do their job.”
With 90 volunteers, Sunbury SES provides 24/7 support for road, rail, aviation and industrial rescue calls.
Sunbury SES unit rescue officer Ben Stanford led the course and said it was commendable to have brave people stepping up to service the community.
“The things our rescue volunteers see and do, can be quite confronting,” he said.
“You have to be a special kind of person to put your hand up and be willing to pull on the orange overalls and say yes, I want to help.”
SES Sunbury would like to congratulate volunteers Kevin Muslayah, Nicole Dale, Caitlin Sloan, Drew Armstrong, Joe Pinto and Olivia Brown on their commitment to their training.
