Southeast VICSES volunteers bolster emergency rail response skills

01/12/2025, 9:47 AM
VICSES volunteers from Hastings and Cranbourne units recently gathered to simulate a train rescue emergency, with the support of the Mornington Tourist Railway.

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers on Melbourne’s southeast fringe are more prepared to support their community through the summer months, after joining forces to simulate a response to a train crash emergency recently.

Working closely with the peninsula’s Mornington Tourist Railway, volunteers from VICSES Hastings and Cranbourne units united last week to gain valuable experience turning out to a rail emergency, ahead of an expected uptick in local tourism over the summer months.

Responding to a scenario involving the rescue of several injured passengers after a train was forced to decelerate rapidly, VICSES volunteers practiced a host of skills required to successfully evacuate a train stranded between stations, with local volunteers also filling the roles of casualties.

Utilising a portable ladder system to access patients trapped inside carriages, VICSES volunteers methodically emptied the train of passengers, safely helping them down the ladder system.

Patients were then transferred to a mass casualty tent erected by VICSES Cranbourne Unit volunteers, where they would be triaged in a real-life emergency.

VICSES volunteers transfer a patient to VICSES Cranbourne Unit's mass casualty tent.

Taking place ahead of the railway’s busier summer period and using train carriages which date back to the early 1920s, the exercise also provided volunteers an opportunity to consider how best to rescue community members with limited English communication skills, with the rail service a popular peninsula attraction.

The most recent training exercise was the latest in a burgeoning partnership between VICSES Hastings and Cranbourne units after the latter was formally opened to serve communities in the state’s southeast just 12 months ago. Both units have undertaken semi-regular joint training sessions in the months since to build relationships and familiarity with their volunteer neighbours.

Local volunteers from VICSES Hastings and Cranbourne units have been called to more than 500 and more than 250 requests for assistance (RFAs) respectively in the last 12 months, highlighting the vital role they play in providing emergency response to their communities.

To find out more about volunteering with VICSES, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us.

Quotes attributable to Lyn MacLeod, VICSES Hastings Unit Controller

“Our local VICSES volunteers pride themselves on providing a timely emergency response for their community and train accordingly to ensure they’re always prepared to support in times of need.

“Training sessions such as these are a great way for members to gain valuable experience in the field and bolster partnerships with our local community and fellow first responders.”