NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) members are in the USA to learn from other international emergency response agencies and further develop the Service’s capabilities as the lead agency for flood rescue.
Picture: NSW SES Director of Operations, Capability and Training Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey ESM, Sapphire Coast Local Commander and In-Water Flood Rescue Operator Trainer Michelle De Friskbom, Senior Manager of Training Delivery Paul McQueen ESM, and Blacktown Unit In-Water Flood Rescue Operator Trainer Matthew Elliot in America.
Four members will spend a fortnight in America, joining other flood rescue experts at the International Association of Water Rescue Professionals annual symposium, and completing training at the state-of-the-art Swift Water Flood Training facility in New York.
NSW SES Director of Operations, Capability and Training Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey ESM, Senior Manager of Training Delivery Paul McQueen ESM, Sapphire Coast Local Commander and In-Water Flood Rescue Operator Trainer Michelle De Friskbom and Blacktown Unit In-Water Flood Rescue Operator Trainer Matthew Elliot, will attend on behalf of the NSW SES.
NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York APM said the members would bring back new skills and abilities to share with the Service, and further enhance flood rescue capabilities.
“As the legislated lead flood rescue response agency in NSW, and off the back of a busy two years of record flooding across the state, we’re always looking at how we can improve our in and on water flood rescue techniques,” Commissioner York said.
“The NSW SES has the largest contingent of trained in water flood rescue operators, and we want to continue building our flood rescue capability through information sharing and partnerships, both nationally and internationally.”
Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey said while it is without doubt members will learn from this training opportunity, they will also be able to share their own knowledge and experiences on the newest skills and tools in flood rescue, by taking part in practical demonstrations.
“The state-of-the-art facility in New York simulates flooding of a residential block and will allow members to train for real-life rescues of people from inundated homes,” Assistant Commissioner Storey said.
“Our members also have considerable experience in flood rescue, so this is a great opportunity for the NSW SES to share some of our capability and experiences by collaborating with the international community.”
Mrs De Friskbom, from Bega, has been a trained flood rescue operator since 2016 and was looking forward to advancing her knowledge to pass on to others.
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, and I want to be a sponge so I can bring back as much knowledge as possible to advance the capabilities of other flood rescue operators in the SES,” she said.
“I am looking forward to attending the training facility in New York as well. You think of something like Lismore, when an entire town is under water, these guys get to practice that and enter buildings and rescue people in roof cavities in a training environment.”
Mr Elliott from Blacktown was passionate about improving flood rescue capabilities and said the satisfaction of helping the community in an emergency kept him motivated to learn more.
“I’m hoping this symposium and training opportunity will teach me different types of skills and allow us to learn off other agencies attending to progress our flood rescue abilities even further,” he said.
“Flood rescue is a dynamic space, it’s always changing, and we are always adding to our toolbox.”