By Oliver Winn
Multiple emergency service agencies gathered at Wesburn Park on Thursday 8 May for a large-scale multi-agency training exercise designed specifically for the inevitable increase in callouts for the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination (WMBD) project,
The 70 person strong exercise simulated a scenario where emergency crews had to rescue an injured mountain bike rider and focused on search coordination between agencies.
A VICSES spokesperson said the exercise was a “valuable opportunity” for members to further their ability to perform rescues in the Yarra Ranges.
“VICSES volunteers are passionate about, and dedicated to, improving their search and rescue capability, and multi-agency training scenarios such as Exercise Trailblazer are a valuable opportunity for members to gain vital experience working alongside first responder partners in preparation for a real-life emergency.”
While local members from the SES, Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and Yarra Ranges Council were invited to the exercise, the Star Mail can confirm some local CFA brigades were not invited to the exercise.
This is despite the fact that local CFA brigades had been paged to assist SES for rescues at the same location as the training exercise in the past.
But, Victoria Police’s focus for this exercise was on search coordination rather than the technical aspects of high angle rescues, a manoeuvre CFA brigades specialise in due its involvement in rescuing patients from high ground.
This often takes place in building fire rescues where the access point to rescue a patient is on a steep angle, such as a patient stuck in a lift or scaffolding during a building fire.
But CFA brigades in the Yarra Ranges also perform this rescue when patients are stuck high in trees or deep in trenches, ruts and gullies.
Some CFA representatives were involved in the exercise, however they weren’t from local brigades and were in control of evaluating how the exercise went.
“Early analysis from CFA has indicated that the exercise met the objectives and has provided emergency services and the WMBD council project team with key discoveries on access and movement within the trails, effective tasking of agencies and the value of local knowledge from the SES volunteers,” a CFA spokesperson said.
The first stages of the Yarra Ranges Council’s WMBD project will open up later in 2025 and is expected to draw thousands of cyclists to the area.
But, an increase in WMBD trail callouts is also likely, and Yarra Ranges Council director of communities Leanne Hurst said the exercise would test emergency management.
“The Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Emergency Planning Committee identified a need to strengthen response capabilities and test the emergency management plan for the trails.”
“The event was a success – the agencies collaborated well, with valuable learnings to take away, and a deeper familiarity with the trails,” Ms Hurst said.
Victoria Police emergency management inspector Guinevere Cleminson said mountain bike riders were urged to take simple steps which would help emergency services locate them in an emergency situation.
“We’re encouraging riders to take simple steps that could make a big difference in an emergency – always let someone know your planned route, return time, and download apps like Emergency Plus to help emergency services pinpoint your location in the case of an emergency,” Ms Cleminson said.
An evaluation of the exercise will be delivered by the CFA at the end of the month.
