A team of 10 firefighters from Warrnambool recently completed the Trench Rescue course at VEMTC Bangholme.
Trench rescue is one of the most dangerous rescue operations to complete, with the risk of a secondary collapse as well as weather, potential gas and water line breakage and other factors making this type of response challenging.
As with confined space rescue, trench rescue requires the rescuer to perform in hazardous situations.
Often these situations require shoring up of earth that has already collapsed, partially collapsed or is threatening to collapse.
The course includes theory on soils, collapse patterns and signs of potential collapse.
The practical scenarios used closed sheet shoring and emergency shoring systems with timber and air struts and roping systems to extricate the patients.
Author: CFA Technical Rescue