8 PoliceMonthly APRIL 2013

THE ROLE OF POLICERESCUE

BELOW PolAir flew a Police Rescue Team into the base of Ebor Falls last month after reports that a man had fallen. Snr Cst Clint Simpson and Snr Cst Andrew Sharpe are swift water technicians who are trained in defensive swimming and water rescue techniques

After the fires came the rain and then the floods, followed closely by the Police Rescue Squad. This is your invitation to join the team.

STORY SGTKEVINDALEYAPM, POLICE MEDIA UNIT. PHOTOS MEMBERS OF THE POLICERESCUE&BOMBDISPOSALSQUAD

As ex-tropical cyclone Oswald moved south into NSW in

January after wreaking havoc in Queensland, it brought widespread heavy rain and flash flooding to the NSW north and mid north coast and parts of the northern tablelands.

Police Rescue Teams were deployed to the North Coast to provide operational support. They

were flood and swift water rescue technicians and aerial deployment operators from Sydney, Blue Mountains, Lake Illawarra, Lismore and Newcastle. They provided a joint operational response with Ambulance Service NSW Special Operations Teams across the affected areas of northern NSW.

Commander of the RBDS, Insp

Brenton Charlton said the teams arrived on location 26 January, and wasted no time in setting up their operational capability.

“Seven teams were sent to the north coast and set up operations at Coffs Harbour, Urunga and Newcastle,” he said. “Police Rescue Aerial Operators were deployed to Wyong, Lismore and Camden to provide an aerial rescue capability.

“They were on hand to deploy to operational requests from the SES or the LAC to flood and swift water rescues. They also coordinated search and rescues, and provided operational and logistical support, as well as providing advice to NSWPF commanders.”

Police Rescue capabilityPolice Rescue provides specialist

operational support to the NSWPF. All teams have primary accreditation

by the State Rescue Board in their respective areas across NSW. They provide general land, vertical, industrial and domestic and swift water rescue capabilities. Police Rescue Teams provide coordination of land search and rescue (LANDSAR) along with a bomb appraisal; chemical, biological radiological, nuclear (CBRN) and bomb technician response capability across the state.

Your invitation to joinAn information day will be held

on Friday 21 June at the RBDU in Alexandria. If you’re interested in joining the team send a two-page expression of interest through your chain of command to the RBDU Training Coordinator, Sgt Michael Smith (smit2mic). For more information call 73900 / 9318 3900.

APRIL 2013 PoliceMonthly 9

COVER STORY

BELOWSnr Cst Colin Benton going ‘down the wire’ to commence a swift water rescue during the floods in Kempsey in March

RIGHT Sgt Richard Walsh on the shore and Snr Cst James Evans in an SES flood boat at Grafton floods in early February

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