BY the end of the month, 47 Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) - Road Crash Rescue (RCR) - accredited units, including the Grampians region, will have received state-of-the-art battery-powered hydraulic tools, continuing to revolutionise the way volunteers respond to emergencies.

In VICSES’ Grampians Region, six units are expected to be operating with the new equipment this month.

The hoseless Pentheon range of equipment is developed by Netherlands manufacturer Holmatro, with each kit valued at more than $115,000.

So far this calendar year, VICSES volunteers have attended more than 1,500 rescue incidents, with five units having attended more than 50 rescue incidents each.

In the Grampians Region, VICSES volunteers have attended almost 100 rescue-related incidents in that same time frame, with Bacchus Marsh, Horsham and Ararat Units attending more than 10 each.

The new equipment allows volunteers to efficiently manage rescue-related emergencies without requiring an external hydraulic pump source through a nearby VICSES response vehicle or portable pump.

As a result, VICSES volunteers will have greater freedom and flexibility in accessing rescue incidents in hard-to-reach locations, with increased manoeuvrability a key consideration when adopting the untethered equipment.

VICSES deputy chief officer, David Baker said the new equipment will allow for volunteers to tackle emergencies in a safer manner for their communities.

“VICSES volunteers play a vital role in the state’s integrated agencies approach to Road Crash Rescue, so it’s important they have the equipment they need to respond to emergencies efficiently and safely on our roadways,” he said.

“Almost 50 VICSES Units across Victoria are trained and using the state-of-the-art battery-powered hydraulics, providing them with increased capability to support their communities.”

VICSES maintains the largest network of principal provider RCR emergency responders in Australia, with 104 VICSES Units across the state certified to utilise their technical skills and equipment at rescue incidents, with an additional 20 support units available.

This month’s rollout concludes a four-year process to update RCR capacity at almost 50 key locations across Victoria, with each unit also re-trained in the use of the suite of Pentheon equipment. To find out more about VICSES’ RCR capabilities, visit bit.ly/3xSq4Hg