More than 200 people participated in a train versus truck collision simulation in Seymour on May 30, including first responders, injured passengers, and event observers.
All those involved worked alongside other agencies refining their first response skills, from a hazmat incident to an amputation.
Trawool Fire Brigade captain and exercise director Sean Kerris was pleased with the outcomes of the exercise and thanked Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) for hosting the event.
“The exercise itself was designed to use a real-life scenario in a high-risk local area to guide the end product,” he says.
“We used lessons from recent Trawalla, Kerang and Lara train incidents and the Wallan derailment to formulate the exercise, alongside coroner reports, inquiry documents and firsthand accounts to further elevate it.
“The realistic response allowed crew members to challenge themselves through real-time concerns and foster innovation when working with multiple agencies.”
CFA deputy group officer Mitchell Shire Laiton Telfer says brigade members mainly supported fire suppression and the hazmat incident on the night.
“It was great to work with the other agencies to get to know them better, as we do see them out on ground at the local incidents we respond to,” he says.