A training exercise in Cobar last week that involved Police Rescue officers had many locals concerned that it was the real thing.
Emergency Client Rescue Health and Safety Training Advisor at CSA Mine Tony Walkinshaw, who is also the Fire & Rescue NSW Station 256 Acting Captain, was approached by the Police Rescue team leader to conduct the training due to his background with mine safety and confined spaces rescue.
Mr Walkinshaw set up the three day training session with some of the exercises conducted at CSA Mine while others were carried out in town.
He said the street drains behind the Hi Way Motel provided a good location to conduct a range of rescue scenarios.
number of training scenarios that a group of 12 Police Rescue officers underwent in Cobar’s street drains last week.
“We did confined spaces rescue, gas monitoring, as well as land search and rescue scenarios,” Mr Walkinshaw said.
The group also got an underground and surface site tour at CSA Mine.
“Basically it was a site familiarisation,” he said.
Mr Walkinshaw said the Police Rescue unit likes to be well prepared and was pleased to have been able to visit Cobar last week to conduct their training in a new location and to have their members gain experience in a mine situation.
