VICSES units give statewide road crash rescue capability welcome boost

Road crash rescue (RCR) capability in the state’s north has received an important boost prior to the summer holiday period, with Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Kyabram Unit recently accredited to provide primary response to road emergencies for the first time.

The milestone, which marks the culmination of months of specialist training by unit volunteers, promises to ensure more timely and efficient response to road crash incidents in the local community, particularly ahead of an expected uptick in road traffic over the summer months.

Having previously relied on specialist RCR support from VICSES volunteers at Tatura, Rochester or Rushworth or from Echuca & Moama Search and Rescue volunteers, VICSES Kyabram Unit now has 10 volunteers trained to affect life-saving road rescues locally, with more expected to be upskilled in coming months.

VICSES Kyabram Unit’s successful elevation as a primary RCR provider sees the unit become the 105^th VICSES RCR-accredited unit in the state, bolstering VICSES’ standing as the largest network of RCR responders in the country.

It also allows the unit to provide valuable RCR support to volunteers of those same nearby units, many of whom had historically travelled upwards of 30 minutes to save lives on the roads of Kyabram and surrounds.

To Kyabram’s north west, VICSES Kerang Unit volunteers have also reaffirmed their commitment to road safety in their community, having renewed their road rescue certification for a further three years.

RCR response units are required to update their accreditation every three years as outlined by the State Road Crash Rescue Arrangements, with volunteers undergoing rigorous testing to ensure they remain capable of providing vital RCR response on an ongoing basis.

VICSES Kerang Unit also recently upgraded its rescue cache to include state-of-the-art battery-powered Holmatro Pentheon hydraulic tools to support timely emergency response in the local community.

Volunteers will continue to refine their skills with the new equipment in 2026, with the battery-powered equipment allowing greater manoeuvrability for responders to affect rescues in the most hard-to-reach places more efficiently.

It follows a record 2024/25 financial year for RCR responders across the state, with VICSES volunteers called to more than 2,500 RCR-related requests for assistance (RFAs), a figure more than 500 higher than in 2023/24 and a nearly 70 per cent increase on 2022/23 data.

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

Quotes attributable to Paul Octigan, VICSES Kyabram Unit Controller:

“Our VICSES Kyabram Unit volunteers are highly committed to saving lives in our local community and beyond and this accreditation will drastically improve our ability do just that.

“The commitment and drive our volunteers have shown to diversify their skillset has been incredible, but the fact remains that road crash rescue is not a skill we look forward to using.

“This holiday period, we would much rather you enjoy time with your loved ones than require us to cut you out of a car crash. Always drive to the conditions and take regular breaks to ensure you arrive at your destination safely.”

Quotes attributable to Anthony Van Heuman, VICSES Kerang Unit Controller:

“This certification and the upgrades to our equipment and facilities mean we’re operating at the highest level we’ve ever been. There has never been a better time to join VICSES Kerang Unit.

“New volunteers will have the chance to train on advanced rescue technology, develop leadership skills and access a wide range of opportunities - all while being part of a crew which makes a real difference when it matters most.”

The milestone, which marks the culmination of months of specialist training by unit volunteers, promises to ensure more timely and efficient response to road crash incidents in the local community, particularly ahead of an expected uptick in road traffic over the summer months.

Having previously relied on specialist RCR support from VICSES volunteers at Tatura, Rochester or Rushworth or from Echuca & Moama Search and Rescue volunteers, VICSES Kyabram Unit now has 10 volunteers trained to affect life-saving road rescues locally, with more expected to be upskilled in coming months.

VICSES Kyabram Unit’s successful elevation as a primary RCR provider sees the unit become the 105^th VICSES RCR-accredited unit in the state, bolstering VICSES’ standing as the largest network of RCR responders in the country.

It also allows the unit to provide valuable RCR support to volunteers of those same nearby units, many of whom had historically travelled upwards of 30 minutes to save lives on the roads of Kyabram and surrounds.

To Kyabram’s north west, VICSES Kerang Unit volunteers have also reaffirmed their commitment to road safety in their community, having renewed their road rescue certification for a further three years.

RCR response units are required to update their accreditation every three years as outlined by the State Road Crash Rescue Arrangements, with volunteers undergoing rigorous testing to ensure they remain capable of providing vital RCR response on an ongoing basis.

VICSES Kerang Unit also recently upgraded its rescue cache to include state-of-the-art battery-powered Holmatro Pentheon hydraulic tools to support timely emergency response in the local community.

Volunteers will continue to refine their skills with the new equipment in 2026, with the battery-powered equipment allowing greater manoeuvrability for responders to affect rescues in the most hard-to-reach places more efficiently.

It follows a record 2024/25 financial year for RCR responders across the state, with VICSES volunteers called to more than 2,500 RCR-related requests for assistance (RFAs), a figure more than 500 higher than in 2023/24 and a nearly 70 per cent increase on 2022/23 data.

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

Quotes attributable to Paul Octigan, VICSES Kyabram Unit Controller:

“Our VICSES Kyabram Unit volunteers are highly committed to saving lives in our local community and beyond and this accreditation will drastically improve our ability do just that.

“The commitment and drive our volunteers have shown to diversify their skillset has been incredible, but the fact remains that road crash rescue is not a skill we look forward to using.

“This holiday period, we would much rather you enjoy time with your loved ones than require us to cut you out of a car crash. Always drive to the conditions and take regular breaks to ensure you arrive at your destination safely.”

Quotes attributable to Anthony Van Heuman, VICSES Kerang Unit Controller:

“This certification and the upgrades to our equipment and facilities mean we’re operating at the highest level we’ve ever been. There has never been a better time to join VICSES Kerang Unit.

“New volunteers will have the chance to train on advanced rescue technology, develop leadership skills and access a wide range of opportunities - all while being part of a crew which makes a real difference when it matters most.”