Rescue training needed

 By JAYNE SAFIHAO

LOCAL firefighters need to be properly trained on how to conduct rescue efforts during road accidents or air crashes,  Madang firefighter boss Robert Wandokan says.

He said in Madang on Wednesday that there was a need to have more trained firefighters, police officers and ambulance rescue workers at such accident sites.

Clement Wane, the only qualified fire and rescue fireman who recently underwent a three-month training with the New South Wales Fire Department in Australia, conducted training for locals on Wednesday.

The training was an eye opener for those who attended. He showed how fire-fighting equipment fitted on their recently acquired new fire-truck should be used is such circumstances.

Equipment such as the RAM which bends or expands metal and the cutter used on big chunks of metal were demonstrated.

Wane told The National that it was important to know how to use the machines on what parts of a mangled vehicle to save lives.

“There are collisions and dashboard rolls or lifts which put the cars at various angles, with wheels facing up, the car on its side or completely smashed in,” he said. 

“That is when you must know where and how much to cut in to free someone either in the front or back or if they have their legs trapped.”

Wandokan said Wane was one of four qualified fire and rescue personnel in the country with knowledge of such accident rescue. The other two are in Port Moresby and one in Kavieng.

Only Lae, Port Moresby, Goroka and Madang residents have equipment which can be used in rescue efforts.

Attempts to get comments from the Chief Fire Office Issac Silas or his deputy Esau Maman on whether the government would look into this issue were unsuccessful.