By the end of the month, 47 Victoria State Emergency Service road crash rescue-accredited units will have received the new tech.
The hose-less Pentheon range of equipment is developed by Netherlands manufacturer Holmatro, with each kit valued at more than $115,000.
The new equipment allows volunteers to efficiently manage rescue-related emergencies without requiring an external hydraulic pump source through a nearby VICSES response vehicle or portable pump.
As a result, VICSES volunteers will have greater freedom and flexibility in accessing rescue incidents in hard-to-reach locations, with increased manoeuvrability a key consideration when adopting the untethered equipment.
In VICSES’ Hume Region, seven units are expected to be operating with the new battery-powered hydraulic equipment this month, with VICSES Wangaratta Unit recently receiving the upgraded suite of equipment.
VICSES deputy chief officer capability David Baker said its Kilmore, Seymour, Yarrawonga, Bright, Wodonga and Benalla units received their Pentheon kits earlier in the rollout process.
“VICSES volunteers play a vital role in the state’s integrated agencies approach to road crash rescue, so it’s important they have the equipment they need to respond to emergencies efficiently and safely on our roadways,” Mr Baker said.
“Almost 50 VICSES Units across Victoria are trained and using the state-of-the-art battery-powered hydraulics, providing them with increased capability to support their communities.”
VICSES maintains the largest network of principal provider RCR emergency responders in Australia, with 104 VICSES units certified to utilise their technical skills and equipment at rescue incidents, with an additional 20 support units available.
This month’s rollout concludes a four-year process to update RCR capacity at almost 50 key locations across Victoria, with each unit also retrained in the use of the suite of Pentheon equipment.
So far, this calendar year, VICSES volunteers have attended more than 1500 rescue incidents, with five units having attended more than 50 rescue incidents each.
In VICSES’ Hume Region, VICSES volunteers have attended more than 220 rescue-related incidents in that same time frame, with Kilmore, Wangaratta, Tatura, Mansfield, Wodonga and Benalla units attending more than 15 each.
To find out more about VICSES’ RCR capabilities, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us/volunteer-r
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