JUST about everything that happens in Tamworth during the country music festival is about the country music festival – even a bunch of firefighters taking a dip.
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Firies from across the city took the opportunity to do some land-based flood rescue training with some certified colleagues in town for the annual musical event.
Dressed in their no-doubt-very-warm uniforms, the Fire & Rescue NSW officers jumped in Scully Park pool to learn how to pluck someone – either a civilian or one of their own – from floodwater.
Regional north 3 commander Peter Nugent said there would be about 30 firefighters certified after a few sessions this week.
“For country music [festival], we brought some specialist staff up from the city – urban search and rescue guys and also hazardous material guys … and we’re taking the opportunity to get all the guys certified,” he said.
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“If there was a flood – and it’s not likely in the near future, but there will be one day – SES are actually the combat agency for that, and we assist and support them, so it’s nice to have that capability up our sleeve.”
Inspector Nugent said the training would otherwise have to be done in Sydney.
“A lot of our stuff is pretty city-centric, but while they’re here in a regional area and we can grab them, we will.”
Many places in the zone were “fairly flood-prone, so it’s great to have that capability”, he said.
“And also things like the Lismore floods, we send strike teams to assist when there’s natural disaster events anywhere.”