South Australian Country Fire Service Promotions Unit

Raising awareness of the roles, training and activities of CFS Volunteers state-wide


Exercise Edge
Submitted On	Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Submitted By	Ashes

MOCK BUS CRASH TO PUT EMERGENCY CREWS TO THE TEST The state�s emergency services have combined their resources to tackle a multi agency emergency response exercise. Starting on Sunday at 10am, the exercise � titled �Exercise Edge� - simulated a large-scale road crash involving a bus that has rolled down a steep, 30-metre rock face. The bus �crash� occurred Saturday under controlled conditions as it rolled over a rock face in a quarry operated by Hanson Construction Materials off Horsnells Gully Road in the Adelaide Hills. About 100 personnel from the Country Fire Service, Metropolitan Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Police and Ambulance participated in the exercise which aimed to critically analyse and evaluate the mutual emergency response and better prepare rescue crews on how to manage such an incident should one ever occur. One of the other aims of this exercise is to enable researchers from Adelaide�s University�s Centre for Automotive Safety Research to gain a better understanding of what type of structural damage occurs and what potential human physical injuries could be expected. The bus, donated by Bus Stop Sales and Service, was repainted and partly refurbished by Bus Stop Adelaide for the purpose of the exercise. Exercise Director, Gerold Seppelt said that the exercise presented a rare opportunity for all emergency services to practise their response, control and coordination of major incidents. �Opportunities like this don�t occur all too often. There�s been a significant amount of planning and discussion gone into making the exercise as real and as relevant as possible,� he said. �In the long run, holding a training exercise like this will greatly assist in saving people�s lives if we ever have to face a real life bus crash similar to this.�

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