***VISION ALERT*** Firefighters urge safety in the snowfields this winter - Perisher Valley
Published: 19 Jun 2024 11:21am
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is reminding travellers heading to and from the snowfields this winter to exercise patience and safety on the icy roads.
The FRNSW crews of permanent firefighters, seconded to the Perisher Valley Fire Station for the next few months, along with local On-call firefighters, are undergoing additional alpine training this winter, familiarising themselves with the Hagglund tracked fire appliance, skidoos and six-wheel All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), used by the fire service in the NSW snowfields.
The crews are prepared for anything in the alpine environment, including vehicle crashes on the region’s roads, rescuing lost or injured skiers and possible fires in resort lodges.
FRNSW Region South Zone Commander, Mark Cavanough, said the firefighters are faced with a very unusual and dynamic environment in the snowfields with both the topography and weather liable to change by the hour.
“We’ve had in excess of 25-centimetres of snow on one day alone recently and we witnessed the weather change very quickly,” Superintendent Cavanough said.
“It’s really important that the crews familiarise themselves with not just the appliances and the vehicles they drive but also with the weather conditions and the topography.
“We equip our firefighters with alpine weather gear but many of these firefighters have never worked in these environments…those conditions can be extremely dangerous for any emergency service personnel.
“We bring them up to speed with their environment and equipment very quickly.”
FRNSW is warning motorists to take extra care when negotiating their way to and from the resort villages.
“There can be a bit of a mass exodus out of Perisher or Thredbo at the end of a weekend and we can get accidents occurring, so it’s really important that our visitors are aware of those conditions, drive appropriately and show patience because we can get thousands of people converging on the snowfields on a good weekend,” Superintendent Cavanough said.
Media note – FRNSW footage of firefighters training on the ATVs is available here: https://vimeo.com/960756509/0a20300f75?share=copy [external link]
Updated: 19 Jun 2024 11:26am
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
Kosciusko Road, Perisher Valley NSW 2624
1 Friday Drive, Thredbo Village NSW 2625
10 Thredbo Terrace, Jindabyne NSW 2627