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This will inject something that creates an atmosphere of urgency ...
- Wayne Grincais
UPDATE, 1.45PM:
BENDIGO'S emergency services put their skills to the test on Wednesday during a large scale training operation.
More than 100 people, including representatives from Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, SES, CFA and other agencies, took part in the emergency services' operation at Pipers Lane, East Bendigo.
A pager message was sent out about 10am calling all agencies to a bus versus a tree, as part of the mock incident.
Emergency services were told passengers were possibly trapped and there are multiple casualties.
They were also told the passengers were Japanese tourists and non English speaking and nearby fire had also leapt containment lines.
SES regional officer Wayne Grincais kept observers up to date with what was happening as emergency personnel responded and began to help the injured passengers from overturned bus.
"This is an exercise that's set up to enable us to experience an exercise under controlled conditions where we can have a look at how things go, correct anything we need to correct and move ahead for the benefit of the community," he said.
"They're not unrealistic scenarios.
"This will inject something that creates an atmosphere of urgency where people who are responding will be put under pressure to actually make the right decisions, to work together and to actually coordinate and make the decision that need to be made.
"We try and make these training exercises happen every year, they can be very expensive to run. Every year we come out with lessons that we learn from it, whether it's the need for more training ... which comes to the benefit later on."
EARLIER:
BENDIGO'S Fire and Storm Plan is being tested today during an emergency services' operation at Pipers Lane, East Bendigo.
A pager message was sent just after 10am calling all agencies to a bus versus a tree, as part of the mock incident.
Emergency services were told passengers were possibly trapped and there are multiple casualties.
They were also told the passengers were Japanese tourists and non English speaking and nearby fire had also leapt containment lines.
The CFA was first to respond to the mock incident with police and the SES are now on scene.
They have checked for hazards such as fallen powerlines and are working out who will take control of the incident.
More to come.