The two-day set-up consisted of many exercises working in teams with the aim of learning new skills and also refining existing ones.

Members were divided into nine squads that rotated through a series of exercises as follows:

* Runaway car – road crash rescue scenario;

* Who took the jetty – improvised launch to practice using the winch on the front of the vehicle to launch the flood boat when there is no boat ramp;

* Crossin’ over – rescue using the Stokes stretcher across a flooded creek

* Get me down – rescue from a tree;

* That Damn Wall – rescue next to the dam wall, using a stretcher;

* Not waving – rescue from the water, into an SES flood boat;

* Arc Angel – rescue from land into water using the arc angel raft (a portable inflatable rescue boat used for rapid deployment); and

* Collapsed – retrieval of a body from within a tunnel, using USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) techniques.

“During normal Unit operational activities, members work closely together and develop routines when attending to a request for assistance,” Muswellbrook SES Local Controller Mark Elsley said.

“You get to know the strengths that team members bring to an activity.

“In a weekend of activities, you are in a team where you may not know anyone else.

“Team Leaders need to be identified prior to the start of an activity.

“Safety is essential in any sort of activity and therefore an assessment of the risks is carried out, making all those that are part of the activity aware of the hazards.”

In addition to these exercises in the field, there was a training session for Incident Management Teams – the system the SES uses for working in an Operations Centre, including the roles of planning, operations, logistics and public information.

Since the previous exercise at Glenbawn Dam, a number of Units have taken possession of new flood boats.

“It gave the Units a chance to become more familiar with them so that when an incident occurs and they are required, members are aware of the boats abilities and any limitations,” Mr Elsley said.

“From all reports it was a great weekend.”