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For
60 years now, the
NSW Police Rescue Unit has been serving the community, tackling difficult
and often dangerous rescue situations and helping people caught in often
traumatic circumstances. In that time, the Unit's name has changed four
times and the range of jobs has broadened to all manner
of rescues and incidents. It is estimated that police
rescue has attended around 300,000 jobs in the past 60
years.
Police in the Rescue Unit volunteer to
carry out emergency tasks which are beyond the resources and capabilities
of other police. They are highly trained in the use of specialist
emergency equipment for the most challenging rescue tasks.
Our Rescue Unit has an international
reputation for the calibre and experience of its personnel and the
high quality and effectiveness of it's equipment.
Formed in 1942, the Rescue Unit was
originally established as the "Cliff Rescue Squad" to retrieve
injured people from cliff bases along the NSW coastline. The war years had
seen an increase in the number of people threatening and committing
suicide from cliff tops and the extra demand on police resources led to
the creation of the new specialised Squad.
Over the years, the role of the Cliff
Rescue Squad changed dramatically, with officers attending all types of
rescue situations and assisting police with a wide range of operations.
The word "Cliff" was dropped from the title in 1960, and the
Rescue Unit now offers the community of NSW a fully responsive rescue
facility.
Based in the Zetland Police Complex at 81
Portman Street, the Rescue Unit HQ is responsible generally for the inner
Sydney area and the eastern suburbs. Units are also located in the
Wollongong, Newcastle, Blue Mountains, Goulburn, Cooma, Lismore and
Bathurst Districts.
There are now 31 Police Rescue operators,
trained to use equipment such as metal detectors, trapped person locaters,
an emergency power truck, mobile field kitchen and mobile field command
bus with sophisticated communication equipment. These officers are expert
in abseiling, climbing, single rope techniques and stretcher escorts with
cliff machines.
Some of the Rescue Unit's responsibilities
and challenges include:
- Rescuing people trapped in difficult
high or deep places such as mines, storm-water drains, cliffs,
scaffolding and remote places.
- Rescuing people involved in industrial,
traffic, railway and aircraft accidents or who may have become trapped
in household equipment, machinery or playground equipment.
- Providing power or lighting in
emergencies or for police operations
- Rescuing livestock and animals in
accidents
- Working in toxic or hazardous
environments
In addition to all of the above, the Rescue
Unit also provides support to general police operations and general advice
on proposed safety and rescue plans to private industry.
Page Design © Ian Hunter.
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