By Dongyun Kwon
Lilydale’s SES unit assisted in the skilful rescue of two trapped drivers after their vehicles collided last week, requiring the response of multiple local emergency agencies.
It was around 11.30am when the unit was alerted about the accident on Wednesday 8 November.
The complex collision occurred at Healesville-Yarra Glen Road between Armstrong Road and Yarra Glen Bypass in Yarra Glen.
Lilydale SES unit controller Shaun Caulfield said his team received reports that two people were trapped in two separate vehicles while they were on the way to the job.
SES Healesville Unit, Yarra Glen CFA, Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police also responded to help undertake the rescue of the two drivers and close the road in both directions.
“One of the vehicles was on its side in the water. Local towing operators were moving the car in the water back onto its wheels. The driver was actually in the water,” Mr Caulfield said.
“We used hydraulic rescue equipment to gain access to the driver trapped by his seat and the steering wheel.”
The crew cut away the driver’s door, the rear door and the B-pillar to remove the dashboard and allow paramedics to take their patient to a waiting air ambulance.
The other crew worked to free the occupant of the second vehicle, whose car had come to a stop 200 metres up the road.
“Both patients were extensively trapped in their respective vehicles. After around 45 minutes to an hour, both occupants had been released from the vehicles and were transported to hospitals,” Mr Caulfield said.
One driver was airlifted by HEMS and the other by road to a Major Trauma Service.
Mr Caulfield emphasised the importance of regular training.
“We train every week, on a range of skills and tasks that we do. But the majority of weeks, we have two or three different streams of training operation on any given night which means we’ll have some general skills. Some of our newer members obtain new skills as well as road rescue training,” he said.
“This is what enables us to make sure that when we get complex jobs, our members have the skills and knowledge they need to be able to perform in those situations.”
